In Memory of Lola Adedokun (1981-2024)

Biography

Lola Adedokun, a cherished member of the NELP board since 2021, passed away in October 2024. We honor her memory and her countless contributions to NELP’s mission and work.

Lola was the Executive Director of the Aspen Global Innovators Group at the Aspen Institute and co-Chair of the Aspen Institute Forum on Women and Girls. She led a portfolio of programs that expanded opportunities for and access to health and prosperity for people living at the world’s margins, including the New Voices Fellowship and AMP Health.

Prior to joining the Aspen Institute, Lola worked at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation as both Director of the Child Well-being Program and Director of the African Health Initiative. By building partnerships between implementers, policymakers, and researchers, her work sought to further reduce inequality, strengthen communities, and promote evidence-based policy decision-making. In her dual roles, she focused her work on strengthening the systems and services that enable children and families to lead healthy, vibrant, and self-determined lives.

Earlier in her career, Lola served as an analyst with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where she was responsible for management and analysis of HIV/AIDS surveillance data. She was also an analyst at Abt Associates Inc., implementing several federally-funded impact evaluations related to domestic and international HIV/AIDS programming and research-capacity building.

Lola earned dual B.A. degrees with honors in Health Policy and Society and Sociology from Dartmouth College and an M.P.H. from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. She also served on the boards of Foster America, the Brooklyn-based Explore Schools network, and others.