Nick Okafor

Nick Okafor (he/him), a strategist and design researcher, is a doctoral student in the Management Science and Engineering Department, where his research focuses on the practice and pedagogy of responsible innovation. He explores the organizational dynamics that influence the efficacy of responsibility and ethics within tech firms, and in tandem, he is interested in how liberatory pedagogies can be effectively integrated into traditional innovation coursework. He puts research into practice as the founder of trubel&co, a nonprofit championing the next generation to tackle complex societal problems using equitable data analytics, responsible technology, and inclusive design, reshaping society for the better. Previously, Nick was a Senior Associate at Sidewalk Labs (Google's urban innovation arm), where he drove commercialization for emerging products that improve quality of life in cities. Nick was trained through The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), creating change through discovering data-based insights and building organizational capacity. He advocates for a radical reimagining of the tools used to create a more just and equitable society, and is committed to ensuring the digital revolution can increase opportunity, mitigate harm, and create liberatory futures for all. Nick holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering and sustainable development from Washington University in St. Louis.