Our Alumni: Chibundu Nnake

Chibundu Nnake is an education advocate. As the manager of advocacy and policy for FOCUS (Friends of Choice in Urban Schools), a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C., Nnake works to empower marginalized communities in the nation’s capital, by ensuring equal access to quality schools for every child.

He works with more than 50 charter school leaders; a variety of teachers and parents; members of Congress; the district’s 13 council members; organizations representing children; other governmental agencies; and countless government administrators. As one can imagine, he must navigate and negotiate diverse interests and demands to increase their understanding of and support for public charter schools.

“When things become contentious, I really try to understand where each person is coming from. It’s easier to navigate a space when you understand underlying motivations and I hope that we are all trying to improve and enrich the education of the children in the District,” Nnake said.

To do that, Nnake compiles a scouting report of sorts on each person and organization he works with. The analytical and critical thinking skills he learned as an undergraduate studying sociology infuses his work.

“I studied sociology because I loved observing and interacting with people,” he said. “I learned that in addition to understanding where people are coming from, you must look for and build upon commonalities.”

Children in D.C.’s public charter school sector makes up nearly half of all public school students there. Nnake advocates for these children, solves problems that may negatively impact the sector, and more importantly, works to increase the quality of school options so that more outstanding schools exist in every quadrant of the city.

“The four years I spent at Ohio State forged many of my ideals, value systems and taught me how to better traverse the world,” said Nnake. “Ohio State made me a better leader and gave me the confidence to create opportunities to pay it forward.”

Nnake earned a JD from the Southern Methodist University (SMU) Dedman School of Law and an MBA from SMU Cox School of Business. He recently married Ohio State alumna Katelyn Jackson (public affairs journalism, 2006).