I was born in the US and moved to Nigeria when I was six years old, spending my formative years there until returning to finish my last year of boarding school in the US. During college at MIT, I spent a summer in rural Tanzania, providing vaccines and HIV education to young mothers and teens. This was a defining period in my life, as I realized I wanted to work to develop healthcare in emerging markets, especially in Africa.
Joining McKinsey to tackle the problems I am most passionate about
After completing my masters in Public Health, I pursued a joint MD/MBA, but during my residency I struggled with what to do next. I wanted to follow my passion but also develop the right skills to have impact at the macro level. A friend at McKinsey put me in touch with a partner in Johannesburg, who helped me realize McKinsey would give me the global exposure to problem solving that ultimately would help me tackle the problems I was most passionate about
I see my daughter every single night
When I joined McKinsey, I was 4 months pregnant and really nervous. I also had a difficult pregnancy. But McKinsey far surpassed my expectations. I cannot emphasize enough how the people at every level – team members, partners, clients – supported me, and shared their experiences about being a young working mom. The best advice I’ve received was to figure out who I am as a working mother and understand my boundaries and priorities, as they change. I returned to work full-time after a 7-month maternity leave and since then I’ve worked locally, ensuring I get to see my daughter every night. My daughter is now 2 years old and I’ve only spent two nights away from her, both due to training. I’m also part of a new moms’ group in the New Jersey office, and am truly thrilled to be at a firm that appreciates and supports working mothers and working women
Making my own McKinsey with support from the network
McKinsey is distinctive to me in that it offers exposure to a diversity of people and experiences. The flexibility and choice you have here is incredible, and I’ve come to view McKinsey as a terrific long-term option for working mothers. Since joining McKinsey, I have had the flexibility to take time off as needed to focus on family. While here, I’ve gone through a number of personal tragedies including the unexpected loss of both my father and my best friend. I have received overwhelming support from people at all levels of the organization as I had to think about flexible working options and taking time off to focus on family and me. More than once, my mother has said to me “how do they let you take the time off, I have never heard of a company supporting you in such a way.” I really believe that you can “make your own McKinsey” here, as it offers a strong network of women and men who can help you achieve the goals you set for yourself.
Offices
Education
| Yale School of Medicine |
MD/MBA |
2004 |
| International Health Policy |
MPH, Emory University |
1998 |
| MIT |
BS, Mechanical Engineering |
1996 |