Ijeoma Akunyili, the first daughter of late Dora Akunyili has been elected an alumni board member at Harvard Kennedy School. This prestigious appointment recognizes her contributions and leadership in healthcare and academia.

She was named alongside eight others from different countries.

Recall that Akunyili was appointed the first black chief medical officer of Jersey City Medical Center, an RWJ Barnabas Health facility in the United States of America in January 2023.

The school said Ijeoma would resume her role as an Harvard alumni board member on July 1, adding that she would serve the institution for four years.

A statement by the institution reads:

“HKS the degree-program and professional and lifelong learning alumni are represented by a board that comprises 22 volunteer members who work to strengthen connections among HKS alumni across the globe. The alumni board currently comprises 16 elected members and six appointed members,”.

“The alumni board is made up of several working committees that focus on engagement, connections, celebration and recognition, Board governance, and communications.

“The board engages the global alumni community to champion the HKS mission, increase alumni engagement with one another and the school, lead the alumni association in pursuit of its purpose and goals, extend and enhance the alumni relations office programs and communications, and advise the dean on alumni perspectives.

“It is a working board that operates in close partnership with the alumni relations office, with information and recommendations provided by the director of alumni relations, the dean of the Harvard Kennedy School, and other senior administrators at HKS.”

The school congratulated the eight board members and urged them to work towards strengthening alumni engagement with one another and the school.