Minister Jerolinmek Matthew Piah is an Edward S. Mason Fellow in Public Policy and Management of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, where he earned a Master of Public Administration. He previously earned a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Liberia, Ibrahim Banbagida School of International Relations. His Bachelor Degree is in Agronomy, also from the University of Liberia. 

Minister Piah’s experience in Government spans 12years cumulatively. His first public sector job was as a Planning Officer at the then Ministry of Gender and Development. He later rose to the post of Assistant Minister for Planning and Administration at the same Ministry. Under the leadership of the Deputy Minister, Minister Piah was in charge of supervising the ministry’s entire administrative procedures and compliance in line with Government’s rules and regulations. He held this role for two years and was later appointed by then President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to the Deputy Minister for Public Affairs role at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism. Minister Piah served this role for two years and in 2012, when President Sirleaf was inaugurated for her second term, he was among the first three officials named on the day of her inauguration. Minister Piah became Presidential Press Secretary. He held this role for Mrs. Sirleaf’s entire second term, from January 2012 to January 2018 when the Sirleaf-led administration handed power over to the Weah-led Administration. 

Before Minister Piah’s public sector career, he was active in student advocacy and leadership and became the National Coordinator of the local child rights advocacy group, the National Child Rights Observatory Group, NACROG; a role he served from 2004, when he returned from exile till 2007 when President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, through the recommendation of Former Gender Minister Varbah Gayflor, called him to public service at the political appointee level. 

Minister Piah is glad to retain the confidence of His Excellency, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and to serve the nation as Minister of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism.