Aderinsola Adio-Adepoju (PhD)
Nigeria - GMC Convener
Aderinsola Adio-Adepoju (PhD) is a multipotentialite, excelling as an educator, coach, academic, entrepreneur, and SDGs & global opportunities expert. With a strong dedication to youth and women empowerment through skills acquisition, she champions the realization of the SDGs.
Having served as an UNLEASH Ambassador in both 2021 and 2022, as well as the UPG sustainability leader of 2021, Dr. Aderinsola Adio-Adepoju’s remarkable journey includes securing over 35 global opportunities such as grants, awards, business labs, innovation labs, and fellowships that have taken her across 5 continents. Her impact extends to training over 40,000 youths across Africa, equipping them with knowledge on SDGs and the path to global opportunities through her programs.
At the helm of the Global Mentorship Conference, an annual event uniting youths, women, and professionals across Africa, Aderinsola orchestrated the inaugural edition that reached over 800,000 people. The event saw participation from 40+ African countries, with 14,000+ registered attendees and 35 speakers hailing from 25+ nations. Her academic pursuits shine through as she previously taught chemistry at a university from 2019 to 2022, and her contributions extend to several publications in international journals.
Renowned for her impactful speaking engagements and mentorship, Dr. Adio-Adepoju inspires and empowers her audience to achieve clarity, direction, and tangible results. She’s a dedicated social entrepreneur holding a mini MBA from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and boasts over 13 years of experience in entrepreneurship, management, and teaching.
As the founder of I-Train Africa, an Edtech social enterprise, her vision revolves around cultivating a generation of African youths armed with the knowledge, skills, and direction to shape a promising future. Notably, she led the “My Body My Planet” global climate action project at the Natural History Museum of London in 2022, followed by a substantial role as a global program coordinator for the “Global We” project at Museum for the United Nations (UN Live), spanning across 23+ locations.
Adding to her accomplishments, Mrs. Aderinsola Adio-Adepoju enjoys a happy marriage and is blessed with children.
Toyin F. Sanni
Nigeria - Founder /Executive Vice-Chair, Emerging Africa Group
Toyin F. Sanni is Executive Vice-Chair at leading Pan – African Investment Group, Emerging
Africa Capital, an ESG led group focused on investing in sectors with catalytic impact on growth
and development, cutting across Investment Banking, Trusts & Asset Management, Financial
Technology, Infrastructure Finance and Capacity Building.
She sits on multiple boards including serving as Chairman, Layer3 Limited, Non-Executive
Director, Transnational Corporation Plc and Member, Nigeria’s National Advisory Board on
Impact Investing (NABII), Chair of the NABII Committee on Wholesale Impact Investment Fund
(WIIF) and Member, National Finance Committee on WIIF.
Toyin has attended the Harvard Business School Owner President Management Program, the
Lagos Business School CEO Program, and other Executive Programs at the Harvard, Wharton
IESE Business Schools.
Toyin has also won numerous awards including the All Africa Businesswoman of the year
AABLA 2017 by CNBC/Forbes, Nigerian CEO of the Year 2018 by Pearl Awards, Tech Times
African Influencer CEO, 2020 and 2021, Africa Investment Forum & Awards, Paris Best Woman
Leader amongst others. Toyin is a LinkedIn Top Voice and one of Africa’s foremost Thought
Leaders.
Dr.Olushola Ajide
United Kingdom -
Shola has over 27 years’ experience in sustainability, ESG, corporate social responsibility and partnership development settings. He has secured £ 46,450.00 in grants for different community projects. He was invited by His Majesty King Charles III to the Holyrood Palace on 4th July 2023 to mark his Coronation for Shola’s positive impact and valuable contributions in his community. It was a celebration of Scottish culture, achievement and community. He holds a PhD in Management from the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland. His research interests include CSR, sustainability, corporate community engagement, developmental partnerships, non-profit organisation management, oil and gas industry, and blended learning. In addition, he holds a Master’s Degree in Management Information System from Coventry University, UK.
Shola was a lecturer at the Aberdeen Business School, Robert Gordon University, where he taught various management courses. Earlier, he lectured at INTI University, Nilai, Malaysia, where he taught management courses as well. He has consulted for businesses and not-for-profit organizations in the UK, Asia and Africa.
He is a member of the British Academy of Management, an associate member of the Energy Institute, UK. He is the current founding President of the Nigerian Environmental Society, United Kingdom chapter. Furthermore, he is a member of the coordinating team for the RCCG UK School of Leadership, Scotland Region. In addition, he is a member of the team overseeing the Scotland chapter of EQUIP, a Dr John Maxwell organisation. Previously, he was the Assistant General Secretary of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO), Malaysia Chapter (2009/10). Since 2011, Shola has been actively involved in the community by volunteering with Scottish registered charities and sits on the board of trustees of two Scottish registered charities and his work has been featured in Press & Journal and Evening Express local media outlets. He actively empowers & mentors professionals across Africa.
Currently, he is the Chief Executive Officer of the Bridge, a charity that runs a bouquet of social impact projects, one of which is Aberdeen Linking Lives, catering for the needs of lonely and isolated elderly persons in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray, Scotland, United Kingdom. Also, Moreover, he is a lecturer at Arden University, and the first ethnic minority Governor at Robert Gordon’s College founded in 1750. Likewise, he is on the Aberdeen Endowment Trust Board founded in 1909 as the first ethnic member. Finally, he is an expert and mentor for the 2022 and 2023 Hult Prize Global Accelerator.
Tope Oshin
USA- Storytelling & Media Expert
Tope Oshin is a multiple award-winning filmmaker who has developed, written, directed, and produced some of Nigeria’s most prominent film and TV content. Tope’s work in the motion picture industry spans over 25 years of laudable creative and impactful work both behind and in front of the camera.
She has extensive experience in the allied industries of radio, advertising, theater, reality TV, and documentary. Tope is a big advocate of the power of mass culture to effect and change mindsets, which is evident in her work with MTV Staying Alive Foundation, the BBC, Ladima Academy, and on the board of UN Live – The Museum For The United Nations.
Showrunner, Executive Producer, and Head Director of MTV Shuga Naija 4, Creative Lead of Paramount & MTV Staying Live Foundation’s In Bloom, (a collection of 5 films on gender equity) and serving Juror of the International Emmy Awards, Tope Oshin also teaches film and mentors upcoming filmmakers, describing herself ultimately as a Film Artist, dedicated to changing the world, one frame at a time.
Gwendolyn J. Tucker
USA -
Gwendolyn Tucker qn HR Strategist with over 20 years of invaluable experience in Fortune 500 companies, where she has excelled in consulting with both small and medium-sized businesses as well as Non-Profits. Her extensive expertise spans various critical areas, including Leadership Development, implementing merit-based pay processes, Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Facilitation & Training, and Change Management.
Gwendolyn embarked on her illustrious career in Cost Accounting within the Paper Manufacturing industry, a journey that ultimately led to her earning the prestigious designation of Certified Public Accountant. This early foundation in finance laid the groundwork for her successful corporate career.
A significant milestone in Gwendolyn’s career was being chosen to Co-Chair the Chairmen’s Diversity Council, where she played a pivotal role in developing the Blueprint for Diversity. This pivotal experience led her to become the first Manager of Diversity & Inclusion for International Paper, showcasing her unparalleled expertise in leading DEI initiatives at both functional and divisional levels.
One of Gwendolyn’s core passions lies in Leadership & Talent Development. She firmly believes that the habit of promoting exceptional individual contributors into leadership roles, without the necessary support to develop their leadership skills, can hinder or even derail a promising career. Through her role as the President of RIX International, Gwendolyn is dedicated to equipping leaders with the tools and knowledge to build high-performing teams that consistently achieve exceptional results.
Arielle Berghammer-Ziegler
USA- Design Thinking Expert
Arielle Berghammer-Ziegler is passionate about leveraging inclusive, innovative approaches and community engagement for sustainable and equitable global impact. She is an Advisor for the Office of the CEO at Chemonics International supporting corporate strategy, innovation, and partnerships.
Arielle most recently served as the UNLEASH Plus Program Lead supporting Chemonics’ partnership and programmatic work with the UNLEASH Global Innovation Lab, including building the capacity and accelerating the launch and scale of more than 275 social impact ventures addressing the Sustainable Development Goals
She has supported numerous technical assignments, project implementation, and business development activities for multiple different partners and donors across geographies, including Mozambique, Afghanistan, Iraq, Mexico, and Haiti, and has been a champion for building out Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) policy and initiatives. As a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a former Pashto linguist, she spent the early part of her career in military intelligence with a focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan before transitioning to policy working for Congress on Capitol Hill and at the district level.
Arielle received her Master’s in International Affairs from the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University with a concentration in the nexus of security and international development.
Temitope Olukunle
Nigeria - Founder, Outnovately Africa | Forbes Coach | Global Talent Consultant
Temitope Olukunle is a visionary HR-Tech Specialist, Global Talent Consultant and Multipreneur
with a passion for empowering others to achieve their personal and professional goals. As an official member of the Forbes Coaches Council, Upwork Expert Vetted, Work Futurist,Development
Sector Accelerator, Freelancing Career Coach and Author of several books, including “Unmute Your Mic,” “Get Productive,” and “Borderless Career,” she brings a multidimensional perspective to her work. With a focus on freelance talents, young visionaries, upwardly mobile entrepreneurs, and innovators.
Temitope has successfully trained over 10000 talents and counting on how to position themselves in
the global economy, secure jobs online, level up their finance, start a side hustle, monetize their skills,
and create a full-time digital career portfolio. Temitope’s life work is compressed into what she calls her 5M Pie of Expression: Money, Mission, Mastery, Meaning & Megamoves
As the founder and CEO of Outnovately Africa, an HR-tech startup, Temitope is committed to
revolutionizing the global talent recruitment process, helping global enterprises and organization with their talent acquisition needs. Her goal is to serve as a BRIDGE, connecting African Talents
with Global Opportunities
Temitope is the Convener of the “Borderless Summit”, a yearly
convergence that aims to shape culture and redefine narratives for African Talents. She is also the
founder of the ‘University of Freelancing, a coaching, consulting and community for Freelancers and
Remote Workers.
Temitope’s innovative approach and dedication to excellence have made her a sought-after speaker,
mentor, and thought leader in the digital community. Her mission is to inspire and empower others
to unlock their full potential and achieve their wildest dreams.
Temi is a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants, a Certified Management Specialist
from the London Graduate School, an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel
Management, and a Certified SAFe Scrum Master. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Ekiti State
University and a Master’s Degree in Diplomacy and Strategy from the University of Lagos, and also
a Board of Director at Rotary International.
Ibijoke Faborode
Nigeria- Social Entrepreneur
Ibijoke is an internationally recognized tri-sector leader with an impressive track record spanning 13 years in Africa and Europe, skilled in research and policy analysis, business planning and strategy,high-l evel government relations, small to large-scale impact-based program design and management, global partnerships facilitation, fundraising, and resource
Visionary behind ElectHER, responsible for the strategic leadership of the organization, developing special projects & programs, driving global partnerships, and building into a formidable Pan-African organization focused on advancing gender-inclusive economies and governance.
Prior to this, Ibijoke has worked across Africa and Europe, driving youth engagement, facilitating
trade and investment relations with portfolios in millions of dollars across the UK and Nigeria in non-oil and gas sectors, supporting African governments and businesses to tell their stories and position
globally, and facilitating intimate to large-scale global convenings on socio-economic issues.
Amongst other achievements, Ibijoke was recognized as a BBC 100women Honoree in 2022. Serves as a Global Leadership Council Board Member at the Democracy and Culture Foundation, a non-profit extension of the New York Times, and Member Board of Advisors- Worklife Africa, an organization
focused on transforming Africa’s care economy and human capital development. She has engaged
Governments, policymakers, development partners, and other key stakeholders across the continent on cross-cutting issues. She firmly believes that economic prosperity in Africa can only be truly achieved through equitable representation, human capital innovation, and development. As such her life’s work is dedicated to the socio-economic well-being and development of youth and women across
Africa.
mobilization.
Andrews Akoto-Addo
Ghana- Professional
Andrews is a social entrepreneurship and enterprise
development practitioner with experience designing,
communicating and managing social impact programs
and supporting social entrepreneurs to scale.
Andrews is a Program and Communication Officer at
Reach for Change Ghana – an international non-profit
organisation empowering social entrepreneurs on their
journey toward sustainable social impact.
Further, he is an UNLEASH Ambassador, where he leads SDG actions, drives regional
social impact initiatives and contributes to decision-making for the progress of
UNLEASH and the strengthening of its programs. In addition, as a Host of the African
Entrepreneurship Forum, he has engaged and worked with several players across
the African startup, entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem to ensure the
development of the ecosystem.
Andrews has a growing reputation for highly effective social impact program
planning, execution and demonstrating leadership in challenging situations. Further,
he has managed partnerships and collaborated with entrepreneurship ecosystem
players mobilizing over USD 3 million to scale high-growth startups and social
enterprises.
Andy, as he is affectionately called, is passionate about young people,
entrepreneurship development and social innovation. He has dedicated his
professional life to supporting similar work and is always willing to volunteer in
similar sectors worldwide.
Baraka Muvuka, PhD, MPH, MCHES
U.S.A/Congo - Academic
I currently work as a professor, Director of Research, and Co-Director of the Urban Medicine program at Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest in Indiana, USA. I obtained my PhD in Public Health Sciences with a concentration in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences from the University of Louisville in Kentucky, USA. I have additional graduate and undergraduate degrees in Global Health and Nursing, respectively.
In addition, I have five years of graduate and undergraduate teaching experience spanning over 10 courses within Global Health, Health Promotion, and Urban Medicine concentrations. In my research, teaching, and administrative roles, I have had the privilege of mentoring and advising diverse students and professionals.
Sarah K. Pixley
USA- Biomedical Researcher
Dr. Pixley is a white American who is a faculty member doing both teaching and research in a
Research I level United States University. While her primary efforts are doing research and
teaching medical and graduate students, she has also consistently championed efforts to
encourage and support all types of students, especially those who are not well-represented in
our US scientific community.
Dr. Pixley has a PhD in Anatomy and a Master’s degree in Physiology and is an Associate
Professor in the College of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati (UC), Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Her primary faculty appointment is in the Dept. of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology at the
College of Medicine. However, her exciting research collaborations and teaching interests have
resulted in a secondary appointment in the UC College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Dr. Pixley is a Neuroscientist and Cell Biologist. Her research has focused on the nervous
system and has ranged from studying neurons that detect odors to how to repair cut nerves by
encouraging cells to crawl on wires of biodegradable metals. Her work has been funded by both
the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
Dr. Pixley has a long history of teaching Cell Biology, Neuroscience, and Neuroanatomy to
medical students and graduate students working on their PhDs. In her research lab, she has
mentored graduate students, postdoctoral students, medical students, college and high school
students, many of whom have won awards and have gone on to excellent careers.
Dr. Pixley’s research funding recently has been from a National Science Foundation grant that
brought together scientists from three US Universities and one foreign Institute to focus on one
project, “Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials”. The goal has been to advance the exciting
promise that biodegradable metals could be the next generation of biomedical implants used to
repair multiple types of human injuries.
Dr. Pixley, as part of the NSF grant, was the UC Site Director for Education and Outreach, with
the goal of reaching out to the local communities to encourage particularly underrepresented
minority students to enter science. Dr. Pixley organized a program that connected the research
graduate students on the grant with disadvantaged high schools in the Cincinnati area. Many of
the high school students had never personally met or talked to people working in the sciences.
The program included teaching science, participating in science class activities, or just
interacting with the students and has impacted hundreds of high school students over the years.
Within the University, Dr. Pixley participates in multiple committees to mentor graduate students,
and she currently leads an advocacy group that focuses on the difficulties faced by graduate
students who are minorities in the US or who have come here from other countries. The goals
are to identify and try to resolve issues of discrimination or harassment.
Overall, Dr. Pixley, while doing research and teaching, has maintained a particular passion for
encouraging students and the local community to appreciate science, and for advocating for
students to become happy and productive scientists.
Salisu Titilola (PhD)
Nigeria- OOU Lecturer/Mentor
Dr. (Mrs) Salisu is an amiable lecturer, teacher, e-tutor, speaker and a great mentor. She is currently a lecturer in the Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ogun State Nigeria.
Mrs. Salisu had her Ph.D., MSc and BSc. in Cell Biology and Genetics from the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, University of Lagos, Akoka, Nigeria. She has been a dedicated mentor at 1000 girls 1000 futures Mentorship program of New York Academy Sciences where she actively engaged young women interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Her volunteerism and support have been showcased in some youth and science events. Titilola has remained an agent of change by contributing the best of her ability, in order to improve educational objectives and academic excellence. She has also made a quite number of scientific publications and presentations at scientific conferences and she is happily married with beautiful children.
Chinasa Uwanna
Canada/Nigeria- Legal Practitioner
Chinasa Uwanna is an experienced legal practitioner with a track record of over 15 years in the field of Intellectual Property (“IP”) Law, Technology, Media & Entertainment practice. Having worked in top Nigerian Firms like Jackson, Etti & Edu, Aluko & Oyebode and Banwo & Ighodalo, she has advised in numerous local, as well as cross-border and multi-jurisdictional transactions involving brand registration, transfer, commercialization, protection and enforcement particularly in Nigeria and other African jurisdictions.
She also advises business owners on regulatory issues with particular reference to their IP rights. In addition, her experience cuts across Corporate and Commercial Law transactions. Consistently ranked as an expert in the field of IP in Nigeria by Chambers Global Guide and more recently, World Trademark Review (WTR 1000), World Intellectual Property Review (WIPR Leaders) and Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars, Chinasa is an author and regular speaker on IP and ancillary issues.
She is an active member of many local and international IP associations including the Pharmaceutical Trade Marks Group; International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI); the Anti-Counterfeiting Collaboration, (ACC) Nigeria; Intellectual Property Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law, the Nigerian International Franchise Association, amongst others as well as a Faculty member of the Nigerian Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education (NBA/CLE) for IP and the Africa Franchise Institute.
Chinasa has also served of several committees of the International Trademark Association (INTA) including the Africa, Middle-East and South Asia Anti-Counterfeiting Sub-Committee and Trade Marks Reporter Committee. Until recently, she was the Nigerian Chapter Contributor for the INTA Country Guides on Trademarks as well as a contributor to the Future Africa Forum on Development and Industrialization issues. She has a Master’s Degree in IP Law from the University of Turin, Italy/ WIPO, an MBA from the University of New Brunswick, Canada, where her focus was on Entrepreneurship and Technology Management and a Certificate of Qualification from the National Committee of Accreditation of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada.
She currently works with Lawson Creamer Lawyers, in Saint John, New Brunswick as Coordinator of Litigation Services. Chinasa volunteers her services to a number of charities including Fate Foundation, Nigeria and mentors a lot of younger IP practitioners and university students in Nigeria.
Augustaheavens Ikevuje
USA- Oil & Gas Professional
Augustaheavens Ikevuje is a certified Engineer from the Federal University of Technology Owerri
and has about 15 years of experience in the Energy Industry. Her experience spans many multinational companies, and indigenous players in the oil and gas. Having worked for about a
decade with Schlumberger now SLB in the Upstream sector where she managed the drilling and completion of oil and gas wells in the Gulf of Guinea, she worked with Mavi Energy in various
streams where she contributed to projects that ensure easy monitoring of crude parameters in
Nigeria’s NNPC Limited.
She is an alumnus of China Europe International Business School, CEIBS, and is currently on her MBA from C. T Bauer College of Business, University of Houston.
She sits on the board of Bauer Graduate Women Network (BGWN) as Director of Mentorship an
organization that ensures women reach their full potential in leadership roles amongst many others.
She is the founder of She Behind the Wheels a social enterprise that wants to ensure that additional 10,000 girls pursue STEM careers by 2050, also helping our youth population harness their skills and talent to solve African Challenges. She was featured in Vanguard where she addresses Women in Trucking in Nigeria. She has had various conversations on eliminating coal globally and fully embracing cleaner energy.
She has mentored many girls and young women and volunteers with I-Train Africa to give clarity to Youths across Africa, a cause that she gravitates towards.
She is happily married to George Ikevuje and together they are raising three amazing boys, amongst other girls they have brought into their home and given quality education.
Omoyemi Chukwurah
Nigeria - Entrepreneur
Amara Okoli Tasie
Nigeria - Entrepreneur/Manufacturers' Consultant
Amara Okoli Tasie is a manufacturer and business consultant with over a decade experience in business management and growth. She is the Founder & CEO of Mara Cruiz Limited and The Manufacturers Hub.
Mara Cruiz Limited is a manufacturing company that produces hair products for Africans with a global outreach and wide distribution channel. Mara Cruiz currently serves thousands of users and over 150 distributors.
The Manufacturers Hub is a training institute for Manufacturers. As the lead consultant and facilitator, she leverages her knowledge and experience in the manufacturing industry to guide African Manufacturers in their journey to building a Sustainable & Profitable Business.
She has in-depth experience in digital marketing, sales, distribution, product development, data analytics, business structure, inventory management, product pricing and business growth.
She has been featured in TVC’s Your View Show, Plus TV’s WAYS Show, Inspiration FM, Nigerian Tribune, Naija FM & other mediums where she shared her business growth story.
She is a Graduate of Entrepreneurial Management Program by Enterprise Development Center (EDC), OXFAM-EDC SME Impact Program, Enterprise & Leadership Mini MBA Program by China Europe International Business School(CEIBS) & Leading Ladies Africa, She works here (An All women Accelerator Program) by SMENG and multiple other business programs.
Adam Mostogl
Australia - Tasmanian Leader in Impact, Education and Entrepreneurship
In any given week, Adam Mostogl might be helping entrepreneurs to kick-start their business ideas, stimulating small businesses to challenge the status quo, challenging communities to understand their potential, or teaching hundreds of students to embrace innovation to solve the problems of the future.
Adam is passionate about embracing creative and innovative solutions to common problems, with experience across a wide variety of industry areas. As the CEO & Chief Entrepreneur of The Van Diemen Project, every single day is focused on making opportunities matter – through helping more people start businesses with confidence, supporting existing businesses to grow and be resilient in these changing times, kickstarting social enterprises, running engaging workshops and events as well as private advisory work to help the larger organization change for the better.
His passion for this has come from his work with young people, where since 2010 over 15,000 students have undertaken entrepreneurial education programs led by Adam as the Founder / Inspirer of Illuminate Education Australia, which focuses on inspiring students to be the confident, creative, and capable people they have the potential to be.
Adam was announced as Tasmania’s Finalist for Young Australian of the Year in 2015, and in 2017 was the only Tasmanian listed in Anthill’s 30 under 30 list for Australian entrepreneurs under the age of 30. In 2017, he was chosen to participate in the International Visiting Leaders Program to study innovative ecosystems as a guest of the US State Department. In 2018 and 2019, Adam was selected to attend UNLEASH, the world’s largest innovation process focused on the United Nations SDGs.
Kelvin Sofen
USA- Gig Economy/Tech
I am a water guy that loves technology, the fire service, side hustles and helping others.
I work for W.S. Darley & Company who manufactures fire, defense and water solutions for fire departments, federal agencies and the Department of Defense. I specifically focus on new product innovations that cover two distinct categories: water and virtual reality. I also am a part of several side hustles, my first being a social enterprise called Wristsponsible which raises funds and awareness for water projects that include safe water systems, watershed improvement, and water is medicine projects.
Additionally, I am a Co-Founder of Box of Rain, an organization with the mission to help corporations provide safe, accessible water to those in need after disasters so those impacted can worry about other urgent needs. In my third side hustle, I am a board member for Comics for Safety where we create and deploy graphic novels to communicate safety messages in an easy-to-digest way.
After I attended the 2019 UNLEASH Innovations Labs in Shenzhen, China, my friend and now partner James Armour and I were asking ourselves, “How can we continue this momentum around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?” Over lunch discussions between solution co-creation, my fourth side hustle SDG Talks was born with the goal of developing a physical and virtual platform where changemakers could share ideas, best practices, and human interest stories around the SDGs via a weekly podcast and monthly webinars.
Tombozi Mbewe-Ncube
South Africa- Product Strategy Mentor.
Tombozi Mbewe-Ncube is the co-founder of VT Business
Consultants, a Johannesburg-based firm that specializes in
providing tailor-made operational and financial solutions to SMEs.
A holder of a BSc. Production Management, Tombozi’s specialty is Product Strategy where she has niched in helping female founders navigate from product idea to market. Of particular mention is her current role as a mentor for the business innovation hub WomHub
Tombozi is also an author of a semi-autobiographical book
about the socio-economic struggles of African women and
their effects on mental health. The Confident Comeback has
sparked conversations that have seen her featured on several
talk radio shows and news outlets such as eNCA news.
In her personal life, Tombozi enjoys a happy life with her husband and two daughters.
Dr. Vivek Manoharan, BE, MS, PhD
India - Biomedical Scientist Entrepreneur
Biomedical scientist/entrepreneur with a Ph.D., MS, and bachelor’s in Biomedical Engineering from India and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Clinical/Biomedical researcher with more than ten years of research and academic experience working with biomedical testing, human-centric design, human factors and ergonomics, medical device design, cadaver-based testing, etc.
Currently, the Co-founder & CEO ( former Chief Scientific Officer ) at 221B Biomedical, India (supported by India Health Fund and Tata Trusts) and Test At Home, Singapore (an Antler Singapore company & incubated at the National University of Singapore ) and, working on proprietary home-based healthcare testing technologies in TB, HIV, COVID, etc.
Currently, valued at 5 million USD. United Nations Sustainable Development Goals ( UN SDG or SDGs ) ambassador, talent, mentor, lead facilitator, and judge at the UNLEASH and UNLEASH+ Innovation Lab.
Saudia Ruighaver
Holland- Professional
Saudia Ruighaver (MBA) is a professional banker; an information security expert with passion in
solving challenges in the form of puzzles or decisions. She has carried out (team) activities
which contribute to strategy, outsourcing, governance, service and information management of
multiple organizations. She currently works as a senior information security officer- IT Audit and
risk management at ABN AMRO Bank, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; a role she has held for the
past seven years. Her focus is on Information Risk, BCM, Security, Compliance, Change
Management, Outsourcing including regulatory compliance with AML and KYC requirements & Auditing.
After obtaining her MBA degree in 2012, Saudia went ahead to complete an Operational Audit
training at KPMG, where she operated as a certified Internal Auditor. Some previous roles also held by Saudia in various establishments including Quality Management Officer at Volkswagen Pon Financial Services between 2015 – 2016; Information Security Consultant at Milana B.V. between 2016 – 2019; Board member at Arkelshoef since 2015 – to date. As a non-executive
Board member, Saudia completed her Supervisory Board training at Hemingway Corporate Governance in Amsterdam in the summer of 2022: She functioned as a sparring partner at a higher
management level with her expert knowledge of security policies, business risk analysis, risk mitigating measures, as well as IT Security & innovation-related topics.
From her experience with risk management issues, she has participated in the supervision of outsourcing projects (IBM), in the design and establishment of control functions (KAS Bank), and in Information Security Management audits (VWPFS & ABNAMRO).
Aside from her professional accomplishments, Saudia has a big affiliation with philanthropy, social services, and humanitarian causes. She is a lover of real-estates and hospitality: she runs an escape-room facility and Airbnb accommodations in Tricht, Gelderland. She is an active member of Rotary Club Amsterdam.
Melody Fidel Okwuazu
Nigeria-
Probal Banerjee
India-
Probal Banerjee is the CEO and co-founder of D.epicentre, a trans-disciplinary design-led collective. He specializes in the intersection of business, impact, entrepreneurship, learning, design, innovation, and storytelling with a futures and equitable lens. With a background in managing cross-cultural and cross-functional virtual teams in complex organizations, he is passionate about driving impact-focused organizations beyond corporate and start-up environments. Through design-led innovation, research, Lean Six Sigma, learning theories, and business storytelling, he has a history of creating effective products, business process management systems for operational governance, evaluation of processes and programs, solutions, and successful teams. He has over 22 years of experience in leadership roles and has managed diverse global programs across 7 countries, working with major companies such as Amazon.com and Lloyds Banking Group. Out of 60+ projects designed and delivered by D.epicentre globally in the last 6 + years, more than 40 have some elements of impact, and 20 have some form of evaluation embedded.
Probal’s experience is multifaceted and includes executive coaching, mentoring, and enabling innovation and transformation, facilitating collaboration among diverse stakeholders to design solutions, designing organizational monitoring and evaluation systems, communicating through strategic narratives, delivering high-level operational initiatives, building and engaging large teams, winning new business, setting up global programs and delivery sites, global service delivery and excellence, strategic project and change management, and achieving organizational P&L goals.
He has facilitated workshops, courses, and masterclasses and served as a jury member at several global institutions, including the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Thomas More University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Luca School of Arts, KU Leuven, Monash University, the Virginia Commonwealth University, Qatar, and Ahmedabad University. He has published internationally and has been invited to speak at international conferences on innovation, leadership, and learning, including the Dementia Lab Conference 2022 by the Luca School of Arts, Ghent, and KU Leuven, the International Teaching Artist’ Collaborative (ITAC) 6 by the Seanse Art Centre, Oslo, the Fab Lab International Conference by the Fab Foundation, Bali, and Tasneem Doha 2022 Radical Futures by Virginia Commonwealth University, Doha, and podcasts such as the AIGA Design Educators’ Community, the Change Makers’ podcast, and Dear Workplace.
Dr.Temitope Adedeji
Nigeria- NIH/FIC Emerging Global Leader
Dr. Temitope Gabriel Adedeji is a Physiologist and Epigeneticist whose specialty is on how diet affects metabolism through the epigenome causing non-communicable diseases. He is currently the Head of the Physiology Department of the School of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Federal University of Technology Akure in Ondo State, Nigeria
Dr. Adedeji has a background in Physiology, and was trained at the University of Ilorin (B.Sc.) and the University of Ibadan (M.Sc. and Ph.D). He was awarded a Visiting Fellowship by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), one of the institutes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States.
He is currently a holder of an NIH Collaborator (non-clinical) award. He also is an NIH/FIC K43 Emerging Global Leader , a highly-competitive award backed with funding for career development granted by the NIH’s Fogarty International Center. He also started and heads the Epigenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory at the Federal University of Technology and is a Society Representative of the Physiological Society United Kingdom. His expertise beyond teaching and research, also spans grant funding, scholarships, academic writing, mentorship, securing equipment donations etc.
Sudebi Thakurata
India-
Sudebi Thakurata is a creative facilitator, trans-
She was the Creative Facilitator and designer of SEAΔ, a trans-national cross-cultural leadership programme, across S-E Asia and the UK, funded by the British Council, where she worked in contexts of Thailand, Philippines, Myanmar, Taiwan, Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia & Vietnam. She was a mentor and evaluator for the Global Cultural Relations Platform Fellowship Program. She was the lead designer/co-author of EUNIC’s ‘Fair Collaborations Toolkit in Cultural Relations’, an UNLEASH Innovation Labs talent 2019, the Global Innovator for International Teaching Artists’ Collaborative (ITAC) 2021, a Salzburg Global Fellow for Japan India Transformative Technology Network 2023, Ambassador for Bali Fab Fest 2022, jury member at the NGFP Awards, mentor at School of International Futures, collaborator in many global institutions and a mentor of many global innovation-led impact programmes. She has presented in more than 20 international conferences, has more than 10 international paper publications on art, design, education, research, culture, sustainability, innovation and many more publications of other sorts. Sudebi has been the recipient of the International Teaching Artists Collaborative Fund with 4 other artists.
She has been invited as guest faculty/curator/collaborator/
Sudebi emphasises on socially, environmentally and culturally relevant issues while inter-weaving design thinking, imagination, complex systems thinking, pedagogy, andragogy, crafts, entrepreneurialism, visual and performing arts, oral history, ethnography, and research to co-create inclusive and regenerative possibilities. Sudebi has started a unique pedagogy, art and design led trans-local initiative “The Archival City- a Site of Learning’.
Her Masters in Inclusion and Special Needs in Education, her work in design, systems, futures, a
Kolawole Shawana
Nigeria- Expert/Consultant in Waste Management
Kolawole Shawana is the CEO of Olu Tee Engineering; an oil & gas servicing company that has existed for over two decades servicing multinationals such as Chevron, Shell, and Seplat in the waste management space. Having worked in multinationals such as PZ Cussons PLC and Guinness Nigeria PLC before moving to Olu Tee, he has a solid background in doing business with global best practices in mind and one such is sustainability. In his position as the CEO of Olu Tee Engineering, he has in the last 5 years engrained ethical disposal of oil and gas waste into their operations. He leads Olu Tee with a fine mix of profitability, sustainability, and excellent service delivery. At Olu Tee, they offer services such as Waste Management and Environmental Laboratory Services, Construction and Engineering Services, and Marine Logistics Services.
With a keen focus on sustainability within the Oil & Gas sector, Kolawole Shawana has successfully managed a waste management project valued at over $1.5 million/annum in 14 years. This complex undertaking involves overseeing manpower allocation for comprehensive waste collection, segregation, transportation, treatment, and final disposal. The project includes managing diverse waste streams such as sludge, filter cake, oil rags, spent oil, and chemicals, showcasing his ability to navigate challenging operational scenarios in volatile terrains. He has also delivered over 72 projects for multinationals and indigenous companies in 2022 in waste management and segregation, technical labour supply, incineration operations, marine vessel lease, and Laboratory Services.
Given his level of awareness of the importance of proper waste management and the crucial role they play as service providers in ensuring SDGs 14 & 15 are met as they operate as an entity, Kolawole Shawana constantly lead his team to deliver quality service.
With over 12 years in procurement & supply chain management overseeing more than $1 Billion in spending management, Kolawole moved to the Oil & Gas where he has innovatively expanded the array of their services. Beyond the corporate world, Mr Shawana is a serial entrepreneur, managing ventures in the entertainment and food processing industries. When he is not working, you will find him pastoring and counselling at a local church to support youths toward holistic well-being.
Sikemi Tayo
Nigeria - Chief Technology Officer
Sikemi is a Business Operations Expert with 15 years of experience across various sectors. She specialises in technology-led transformations, process improvements, and operational excellence and empowers African businesses for success.
Holding a Master’s in Information Systems from the University of Sheffield, Sikemi is also an active Tech Mentor, guiding future tech leaders.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Sikemi is a Fitness Coach passionate about helping 9-5 professionals stay consistent on their fitness journeys.
Dr. Omotola Akinsola
Nigeria - Social Entreprenuer
Nigerian by birth, a global citizen by destiny, Dr. Omotola the Great is a Social Worker by
training, a Social Good Engineer by Choice. She has a zeal for creating and designing
programs and systems that work for the greater and common good of society.
Dr. Omotola the Great is passionate about entrepreneurship education, social work
education, nonprofit development & management,. She’s a social impact strategist that
specializes in nonprofit funding, a grant writer, and a personal development trainer. She
has secured over $1.3 million dollars for nonprofit organizations across the world.
She holds a Ph.D. in Social Work, Two Master Degrees in Education Psychology & Social
Work specializing in Social Enterprise Development & Management, a bachelor’s in
social work with a double minor in leadership studies and psychology from Columbia
College.
She has a certificate in Leadership Development & Training from Columbia College, a
certificate in Social Entrepreneurship from George Warren Brown School of Social Work
at Washington University in St. Louis, two certificates in Sustainable Business Strategy &
Entrepreneurship Essentials from Harvard Online Business School, two certificates in
Grant Writing from GrantWriting & Funding.
Dr. Omotola is a Social Work Professor teaching Interviewing & Counseling Skills, Intro
to Social Work, Senior Seminar at University in Minnesota.
Dr. Omotola is also an analyst with The Good Morning Education Show, a John Maxwell
Team Coach, Trainer, Speaker & DISC Specialist. She has been featured on Forbes,
UNICEF, GrantWriting & Funding Podcast and has won local, national, and international
awards for her work in the social impact sector.
She is a highly sought-after international speaker and trainer, she has guest lectured at
the University of Colorado, Boulder, Columbia College, Southern Illinois University-
Carbondale, Ohio University.
She has won numerous awards and fellowship, some of which include being a
congressional fellow, StartingBloc Fellow, Social Innovation Fellow, 30 under 30 Award,
and Watson Scholar.
Dr. Omotola is the Lead Consultant at The Funding Magnet LLC which was established in
2020.
Rosario Osobase
Nigeria- Business Leader
I am a well-rounded professional with nearly two decades of experience across several industries including Banking, FMCG, and Oil & Gas where I have over the years developed expertise in energy, leadership, commercial strategies, operations, public relations etc.
I head Tenaris Nigeria’s Commercial & Institutional portfolio and am responsible for their strategic, commercial, and institutional agenda for the business in Nigeria. This role enables me to manage their commercial agenda, define strategic engagement with government regulatory and industry stakeholders, and execute commercial & operational strategies for Tenaris’ long-term sustainability. I have been instrumental in enabling Tenaris to increase its human capacity development and local infrastructural deployment in Nigeria and my team’s collective results are impressive and sustainable.
I also double as a Director on the board of the Petroleum Contractors Trade Section (PCTS) and serves as the association’s Executive Secretary. The PCTS is made up of key stakeholders in the Oil & Gas Industry who provide Technology and Services across the oil & gas value chain in Nigeria.
I was recently recognized as one of the Top-100 career women in Nigeria by an independent adjudication panel of seasoned professionals for my career contributions in corporate Nigeria and have won several other professional and academic awards.
I most recently graduated from the Executive-MBA program with Honors from the prestigious IMD Business School in Switzerland. I have a keen interest in energy transition and its impact on the Energy industry across Africa. I am also very passionate about business impact, sustainability, and gender balancing advocacies as well as educational advancement in my local community and in Nigeria. I actively volunteer my time in several educational NGO programs and events. I am married to an amazing and supportive man and blessed with three adorable kid’s.
Anastasia Ntracha
France - Healthtech Entrepreneur
Anastasia is building human-centric digital health start-ups, addressing unmet needs, and supercharging clinical outcomes. She is a Stanford Biodesign Fellow, innovating in the field of oncology with medtech and biotech solutions and previously led product design and development in digital health startups around chronic disease management.
Her experience ranges from initial idea conception and MVP design to Beta testing and clinical validation. She has co-founded an internationally awarded (Microsoft) babytech start-up and supports early-stage impact-driven start-ups, creating and facilitating educational programs based on design thinking. Anastasia is an electrical and computer engineer and PhD candidate in digital diagnostic biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases, recognized as a Google Scholar for Women in CS and by McKinsey (Next Generation Women Leaders). Catalyzing innovation to empower people to live healthier, fulfilling lives is her passion.
Mona Itani
Lebanon - Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship
Mona Itani, PhD is an assistant professor at the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business at the
American University of Beirut since 2021. Prior to this role, she was appointed as the
coordinator of the Entrepreneurship Initiative at the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering
and Architecture from 2018-2021 where she was driving the faculty’s mission to become a
leading entrepreneurship and innovation school in Lebanon and the Middle East.
She is a published author on entrepreneurship, women, ethics, and education. She founded Riyada for Social Innovation SAL in 2017 and in 2020, she co-founded Shabab Lab, the first social innovation e-learning platform in the region. She is a renowned public speaker, award-winner,
and expert on entrepreneurship and social innovation in the Arab world.
Rosario Osobase
Nigeria- Business Leader
I am a well-rounded professional with nearly two decades of experience across several industries including Banking, FMCG, and Oil & Gas where I have over the years developed expertise in energy, leadership, commercial strategies, operations, public relations etc.
I head Tenaris Nigeria’s Commercial & Institutional portfolio and am responsible for their strategic, commercial, and institutional agenda for the business in Nigeria. This role enables me to manage their commercial agenda, define strategic engagement with government regulatory and industry stakeholders, and execute commercial & operational strategies for Tenaris’ long-term sustainability. I have been instrumental in enabling Tenaris to increase its human capacity development and local infrastructural deployment in Nigeria and my team’s collective results are impressive and sustainable.
I also double as a Director on the board of the Petroleum Contractors Trade Section (PCTS) and serves as the association’s Executive Secretary. The PCTS is made up of key stakeholders in the Oil & Gas Industry who provide Technology and Services across the oil & gas value chain in Nigeria.
I was recently recognized as one of the Top-100 career women in Nigeria by an independent adjudication panel of seasoned professionals for my career contributions in corporate Nigeria and have won several other professional and academic awards.
I most recently graduated from the Executive-MBA program with Honors from the prestigious IMD Business School in Switzerland. I have a keen interest in energy transition and its impact on the Energy industry across Africa. I am also very passionate about business impact, sustainability, and gender balancing advocacies as well as educational advancement in my local community and in Nigeria. I actively volunteer my time in several educational NGO programs and events. I am married to an amazing and supportive man and blessed with three adorable kid’s.
Tifina Ogweno
Kenya - Social Entrepreneur
Tifina is the current Country Director of AFAAWARDS (Africa Fashion and Art Awards) in Kenya and also the Creative Director of DARREN HART FOUNDATION. She also does business presentations and MC (Master of Ceremony) on events.
She is skilled and experienced in Leadership and communication. She does this in her daily work and can highly adapt to sensitive meetings and event
Tifina is Passionate about humanity and the Environment. She has been able to help Young girls from sexual harassment/violence, early marriages, and forced marriages. She has been working on helping women, girls, boys, and men in her society through donating sanitary towels, charity, cleaning the environment, mental health counseling and so many others.
Afeez Olalekan Saka
Nigeria- Social Entrepreneur
Afeez Olalekan Saka is an award-winning teacher and experienced education professional who is dedicated to improving the quality of education for children in low-income communities. He is the founder of Literacy for African Child Education and Development (LACED Africa) and Community Tech LAB, with the mission to empower children with skills to thrive in the future workforce while providing literacy development support and improving learning outcomes.
Afeez holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Ilorin and is currently working as an education officer with the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission. He is also an alumnus of Teach for Nigeria, where he taught in a low-income community school for two years. Additionally, he serves as the Director of Curriculum Development at the Kayode Alabi Leadership and Career Initiative, where he is responsible for developing educational programs that prepare children for the future through SDG 4 (Quality Education). He is also an aspiring EdTech professional, working towards closing the digital divide in the Nigerian Education system.
Afeez has received several awards and recognition for his contribution to vocational service and community development. He is a chaperone with the Teach for All Student Leader Advisory Council, the Best Teacher for the 2021 Beyond School Community Challenge, and an ambassador with the World Literacy Foundation, Theirworld, and UN Teach SDGs. He was also recognized among the One Hundred Most Influential Young People by Opportunities Hub in 2021, and he received the Award of Excellence from Rotary, Mende Mid-Town, Ikeja, Lagos.
Afeez is passionate about student leadership development and has helped his students gain national and global recognition for their community development and impact. In 2022, one of his students became a member of the Teach for All SLAC, and three of them participated and won different national innovation challenges. He firmly believes that every child deserves the opportunity to harness their literacy potential for personal success and global peace.
Ivie Osobase
Ivie Folashade Osobase is a dynamic multipotentialite with over 14 years of Marketing and communications experience across Sub-Saharan Africa and the APAC region, including Australia. Recently transitioning into Agile Coaching, Ivie sits at the intersection of creativity, adaptability, and technical prowess. Her superpowers—rapid learning, multitasking, and adaptability—make her an invaluable asset to ITrain Africa. Her specialty is synthesizing ideas to create innovative solutions for complex challenges.
Ivie has worn many hats throughout her career, from leading multi-country marketing & communications campaigns to coaching Agile teams. She thrives in diverse cultural environments and has the unique ability to bridge the gap between traditional and digital landscapes.
In an electrifying 14-year journey that criss-crosses Sub-Saharan Africa and the APAC regions—zeroing in on Australia—Ivie has turned Marketing and Communications into an art form. Guided by the ethos of “thinking like there is no box,” Ivie has architected multi-country campaigns that haven’t just amplified brand awareness, but have also crafted cultural bridges between communities as diverse as the landscapes they inhabit. From soaring brand visibility by a staggering 40% in East Africa to deploying data-driven CRM systems that transformed donor retention in Southern Africa, Ivie’s unparalleled blend of boundary-less creativity and analytical prowess has redefined what’s possible in the industry.
This innovative spirit didn’t stop at marketing; Ivie seamlessly transitioned into Agile Coaching, bringing her unique abilities of rapid learning, adaptability, and multitasking. Based in Australia, Ivie has facilitated Agile transformations for multinational companies, achieving efficiency gains of up to 37% and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Her unique blend of skills has broken down silos between digital and traditional marketing and cross-functional Agile teams, establishing Ivie as a transformative force in both sectors.
Probal Banerjee
India - Entrepreneur
Probal’s experience is multifaceted and includes executive coaching, mentoring, and enabling innovation and transformation, facilitating collaboration among diverse stakeholders to design solutions, designing organizational monitoring and evaluation systems, communicating through strategic narratives, delivering high-level operational initiatives, building and engaging large teams, winning new business, setting up global programs and delivery sites, global service delivery and excellence, strategic project and change management, and achieving organizational P&L goals.
He has facilitated workshops, courses, and masterclasses and served as a jury member at several global institutions, including the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Thomas More University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Luca School of Arts, KU Leuven, Monash University, the Virginia Commonwealth University, Qatar, and Ahmedabad University. He has published internationally and has been invited to speak at international conferences on innovation, leadership, and learning, including the Dementia Lab Conference 2022 by the Luca School of Arts, Ghent, and KU Leuven, the International Teaching Artist’ Collaborative (ITAC) 6 by the Seanse Art Centre, Oslo, the Fab Lab International Conference by the Fab Foundation, Bali, and Tasneem Doha 2022 Radical Futures by Virginia Commonwealth University, Doha, and podcasts such as the AIGA Design Educators’ Community, the Change Makers’ podcast, and Dear Workplace.
Probal was a member of the team that was the recipient of the Helium Award for Innovation at the Bali Fab Island Challenge 2022, which featured teams from 23 countries. The Fab Island Challenge was organized during the Bali Fab Fest and aimed at helping accelerate the transition of the island of Bali toward a more regenerative economy. Probal has been the recipient of the International Teaching Artists Collaborative Fund with 4 other artists.
Tinuade Oguntuyi
Nigeria- Network Infrastructure Lead /STEM Advocate
Tinuade Oguntuyi is a transformational IT specialist with more than ten years of experience in telecoms, IP
networks, technical sales, IT solutions, infrastructure design, consulting, and customer experience. She uses
numerous telecoms technologies including satellite, microwave, fiber optics, and SIM, to create cutting edge
solutions that has helped her country greatly, she is a graduate of Computer science (BSc) Mini MBA
Telecoms and Mini MBA Digital Innovation. She has also earned several relevant industry certifications.
Tinuade is the Head of Networks and Solutions at Information Connectivity Solutions Limited (ICSL). premium ISP and Technology company in Nigeria, Her work includes, among other things, machine to machine communications for ATMs, GSM backhauling via satellite in rural communities and hard to get settlements. Federal and State-wide WAN connectivity.”
Through mentorship, support groups, local & global speaking engagements, and other social impact activities, She imparts her knowledge and encourages women and girls who are interested in STEM fields.
Tinuade, was awarded Promoter of ICT Development in Nigeria, by Titan of Tech. “African Woman Tech Leadership” by Women In Africa and several industry recognitions.
She is a member of the Nigerian Chapter of the Internet Society, Project Management Institute and has carried out over 30 network infrastructure projects in more than 12 sectors.
