Lensa Biyena is an experienced human rights defender and development practitioner with a decade of professional experience in leading, coordinating, researching, advocating for, and implementing human rights, democracy and governance and peace and security programs, with a special focus on women's rights. Highly proficient in strategic planning, resource mobilization, program design, research, partnership management, policy design, project and human resource management, and political analysis. She has been engaged in establishing strong human rights CSO’s, promoting gender equality, and the rights and protection of human rights defenders. With background in law and postgraduate degrees in International Gender Equality Studies and project management (first class with distinction). She is currently the Executive Director of the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA), as well as the board chairwoman, founding member, and research and advocacy advisor to a number of civil society organizations. Lensa also serves on the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission's (ENDC) advisory board and the Ethiopian Civil Society Council's (ECSOC) elected executive committee. She has taken part in election observation missions and studies both nationally and internationally. She received the "AWC African Outstanding Women's Rights Champion Award" in 2023 and is a fellow in the 2024 International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP).