Interview with Ms. Akinyi Ochieng

Text of the Full Interview Below:

For Akinyi Ochieng, problem-solving comes from listening first and leading second.

Akinyi was inspired by the Quaker education she received at Sidwell Friends and was always attracted to the diverse school community. She was also inspired by her father, who worked at the World Bank. Akinyi was initially interested in human rights law. However, she later learned about the capacity of the private sector, through business, to develop communities socially and economically. Later, right after college, she went to Ghana and spent time working with a multi-stakeholder industry association focused on social and environmental sustainability in the agriculture sector.

Akinyi has worked in four different continents, and after her experiences in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, she emphasizes the importance of community and listening. She has also recognized the need for humility when talking to people most impacted by social problems. She realizes that since those people are impacted the most, they would likely have a sense of what would help them. Thus, she demonstrates that true leadership begins with listening and understanding, not assuming.

Akinyi takes great pride in the work she did with the Sustainable Shea initiative. While working on the initiative, she helped design programs that preserved and expanded the shea tree population and supported hundreds of thousands of women in making an income from collecting and selling shea nuts and butter in rural West Africa. 

One of Akinyi's most enriching professional experiences was designing a set of principles to help businesses better address the gap in care infrastructure for women. Not only did she identify key levers to support mothers working outside the home, but she also surveyed hundreds of women and spoke with hundreds of experts to inform her recommendations. 

Today, Akinyi leads strategic planning and operations for the Autodesk Foundation, a foundation that works on innovative solutions to climate adaptation and mitigation as well as workforce development.

Akinyi believes that service means listening to and responding to the needs of the community. “Do what they request, not what you think they’d need.” Akinyi Ochieng is a reminder that true service begins with selflessness, meeting people where they are, and honoring their voices over our own preconceptions.