Dr. Melissa Omino is an intellectual property (IP) expert with a research focus on the development and negotiation of IP provisions in international trade agreements by and with Global South countries. A cum laude graduate with practical legal experience both in academia and practice, Dr. Omino holds a Doctorate in Law (focusing on Intellectual Property and Trade Law). Her range of expertise also includes the legal frameworks within the sphere of Artificial Intelligence, Data Protection, and Digital Rights. She also focuses her energies in mentoring and nurturing researchers as part of her role as Director at the Center for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT). Dr. Omino is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, Commissioner of Oaths, and Notary Public. She is also a co-host of the Friendly Troll Podcast where she disseminates research to a wider audience in the Global South in accessible language.