Lola is a Nigerian dual-degree MPP/MBA student at Duke University with 13 years of experience in the health and education sectors. She is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds an MSc in Public Health from the University of Lagos, where she graduated in the top 1% of her class. She describes herself as having a heart for impact, developing a business head, and shaping her hand for public policy. Lola is also an alumna of the Mandela Washington Fellowship and the American Cancer Society Global Scholars Program.
Before Duke, she served as National Programs Manager at Breast Without Spot, leading cancer prevention programs that reached 26,300 women and men across 18 Nigerian states. Motivated to address the root causes of poor health outcomes, she transitioned into education and led The Young African Bookworms as Programs Manager. There, she designed three sustainable programs, still running today, that give 1,364 low-income children in northern and western Nigeria access to computer literacy, educational resources, and socio-emotional skills. She is also the co-founder of TL James Consulting, an impact consulting firm.
After graduation, Lola plans to apply her tri-sector leadership to a corporate strategy role in a Fortune 500 company, designing and implementing social impact strategies that drive both financial returns and lasting change.