Adaku Nwokiwu is a recent graduate of Amherst College, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in English & Black Studies. Throughout her undergraduate career, she balanced multiple roles across communications, publishing, and higher education. As a Development & Communications Associate, she supports communication strategy, develops grant proposals, and assists with event planning. Her first experience in the field of community development came five years ago at LISC NYC. She interned as a summer Cashin Fellow where she picked up skills with grant-writing and community outreach, and co-led an end-of-summer presentation that highlighted the importance of active and decisive language in community development grant writing. Two years later, she rejoined as a Communications Assistant, interviewing and spotlighting small business owners on their paths to recovery in the wake of the pandemic.
Most recently, Adaku worked at Each Day Communications where she supported strategic communications planning for mission-based clients committed to racial justice, educational advocacy, and career access including the Black Wealth Data Center, refinED Atlanta, and Shared Lane Services. Concurrently, she interned at Penguin Random House as an editorial assistant, a longtime dream accomplished during her final semester of college.