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NAMC is 100% volunteer driven, these leaders continue to keep the mission and vision alive!
Modinat “Abby” Kotun-Thomas is the President of the Nigerian-American Multicultural Council.
Abby is an attorney, board certified in labor and employment law, and works as Senior Counsel, Litigation at PNC Bank, where she works on a variety of litigation matters involving wire fraud, retail, wealth, restrictive covenant, discrimination, and wage and hour matters.
Before starting her legal career, Abby worked for a major energy company as a process engineer, pipeline project manager, and business analyst. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center, and while in law school, interned for a federal bankruptcy judge, served as the Internet Publishing Editor of the Houston Law Review, and volunteered as a student attorney in the civil and immigration clinics. She enjoys giving back through pro bono work and has represented individuals referred through Kids in Need of Defense (“KIND”) and the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program (“HVLP”).
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Kope is a Management Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Uche Anigboh is a professional with a passion for empowering mission-driven organizations.
Her background is in nonprofit administration with experience in program administration,
executive support, and fundraising support across organizations within and beyond the US.
Uche holds a Master's degree in Nonprofit Administration from Louisiana State University
Shreveport and has participated in the Leadership Institute for Nonprofit Executives at Rice
University. She also earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from The George Washington
University. In her free time, she enjoys fitness, cooking new recipes, and catching up with family.
Temi is a Certified IT professional with a strong passion for technology and software, possessing exceptional analytical skills and proven expertise in managing networking systems. A dedicated leader with a track record of driving cross-functional teams towards exceptional results. She is also an Event Production Manager, Film Editor and photographer. She is proficient in Agile methodologies, Project management, Business analysis, and Stakeholder engagement and recognized for delivering strategic solutions and driving operational excellence.
Bukola was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. She is a Governance, Risk and Compliance leader who is passionate about promoting strong internal control environments, improving processes and advancing risk management and corporate governance concepts. She currently works at an international bank. Bukola obtained her BSc. in Software Engineering from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics and Masters in Information Systems from Central Michigan University.Outside of work, Bukola enthusiastically serves in her local church and supports various Houston community efforts. She also enjoys traveling and has checked off six continents.
Ewere is the Vice President of Education and Mentoring at the Nigerian American Multicultural Council. A passionate advocate for education and personal growth, Ewere brings a wealth of experience to this role.
Professionally, she excels as a Business Analyst at Chevron, where her expertise in Logistics and Supply Chain Management provides valuable insights.
Ewere is committed to fostering a supportive environment for learning and mentorship within the Nigerian American community. In her free time, she enjoys staying active and exploring the world through travel. She also enjoys networking and is a lifelong learner, always seeking opportunities to expand their knowledge and connect with others.
Utienyin Pemu was born and raised in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria, before moving to the U.S. in 2018 to pursue higher education at the University of Houston (UH). She graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, along with double minors in Business Administration and Mathematics.
During her time at UH, Utienyin held several leadership roles, including Academic Excellence Chair and International Student Chair for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). In these positions, she organized events to support the professional development of international students, connect them with tutoring and research services, and raise awareness of African cultural contributions on campus.
Currently, Utienyin works as a Manufacturing Engineer at SLB, an energy technology company. Outside of her career, she enjoys traveling and event coordination, collaborating with the Courtney Morris Collective.
Haila is a Darthmouth College graduate & co-owner of a consumer staples company. She is passionate about creating synergies for high-impact and high-growth opportunities. In her spare time, she enjoys long-distance running, traveling, interviewing prospective Dartmouth students and coaching NBMBAA Houston Leaders of Tomorrow students.
Nkechi Odumodu is a Petroleum Geoscientist with 20 years’ experience working with operators in the Houston area with her most recent role as a Sr. Development Geologist.
As a Nigerian-American born and raised in Long Island, New York, I am deeply rooted in advocacy efforts, community engagement, and a passion for Nigerian culture, art, history and the people. After obtaining my bachelor's of Public Health from SUNY Old Westbury in New York, my advocacy journey began as a spokesperson for a sickle cell advocacy group in Queens, where I drew significant attention from community members during outreach days and embarked on a mission to empower and support healthy black and brown communities. During the pandemic in New York, I was an avid community activist involved in election season phone campaigns and served on an endorsement committee, interviewing NY state senators and district council members. This commitment to advocacy led me to work on projects increasing awareness and providing tanigble resources for trafficking victims, immigrants, the homeless, and lower-income families and children in various urban centers, including New York City, Philadelphia, Louisville, Houston and in Nigeria. Today, my passion for African voice has led me into the business space, where I use my expertise in community relations and resource-focused work to help connect Houston communities to up and coming businesses and organizations.
Edward is a husband,father, brother and friend. He has been in the software industry for over 15years and is passionate about increasing the amount of women and Black peoplein tech. Edward is an Angel investor, stock trader and passionate financial advisor.Edward enjoys spending time with his family and volunteering at his localchurch. He is a servant leader with a strong desire to mentor the nextgeneration.
Born in Nigeria, his family migrated toCincinnati, Ohio where he graduated from the University of Cincinnati with aB.S in Information Systems in 2010. Edward and his wife moved to Houston in2012 and he joined NAMC in 2020 and enjoyed serving in various capacities, mostrecently as Decor/Logistics Co-Chair for NAMC 9th annual Gala. He is excited tojoin the Management Committee and help drive the vision of the organization.
Yetunde is a business professional with experience in the retail energy and consumer goods
industries. She currently works as a Program Analyst responsible for effective stakeholder
engagement and process improvement initiatives that drive operational excellence.
Yetunde holds a BSc in Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign, and both a MSc of Public Service and Administration and a Certificate in Nonprofit
Management from Texas A&M University.
Yetunde resides in Houston, TX. She enjoys traveling, listening to music, and volunteering in
her free time.
Yemi Koyejo (B.Sc, MBA, FCCA) is the co-founder of the Nigerian-American Multicultural Council (NAMC). Yemi’s strong desire to empower the Nigerian-American community to succeed in the USA, motivated her and other co-founders to form NAMC in 2011. She has a passion for sharing the rich Nigerian cultural heritage and values outside the Nigerian community.
Yemi is an accountant by profession. In 2009, Yemi received her MBA at Rice University, Houston, and graduated as a Jones Scholar, an award reserved for the top 10% of the graduating class. She is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA) and has a BSc. Social Sciences (Econs), 2nd Class Upper degree from University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, now Obafemi Awolowo University.
She retired from ExxonMobil Development Company as a Project Controller after a successful 38-year career, and currently runs a financial services consulting firm. She served two terms on the board of Arms Wide Adoption Services, a US non-profit organization promoting adoption of children in foster care and mentors young professionals. Yemi lives in Sugarland, TX with her husband and children.
Mr. Ufuoma Ewherido is a distinguished energy executive with over three decades of global
experience, having retired from ExxonMobil after 32 years of exemplary service the Upstream
across Africa, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, North America, and South America. Throughout his
career, he led numerous multi-million-dollar projects, consistently delivering exceptional value,
driving transformative initiatives, and excelling in strategic planning, portfolio optimization, and
operational excellence. He is also a certified member of the National Association of Corporate
Directors (NACD).
During his tenure at ExxonMobil, Mr. Ewherido held multiple executive roles, including Vice-
President and Director in several affiliate companies. He spearheaded country entries and exits,
managed large-scale subsurface operations, and guided high-performing teams to success. His
leadership roles included Upstream Manager for ExxonMobil Upstream Global Competitive
Intelligence, Exploration Operations and Commercial Manager for Asia Pacific, Africa, and the
Middle East, and General Manager of Geoscience Operations and Upstream Nigeria Plans in
Nigeria. His career showcases a track record of organizational development and impactful
decision-making in diverse and complex environments.
Mr. Ewherido holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Benin, Nigeria,
and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with distinction from the Jack Welch
Management Institute at Strayer University. He has completed executive leadership and strategy
programs at top business schools, including Columbia, Kellogg, Thunderbird, and INSEAD,
further solidifying his expertise in corporate governance and strategic leadership.
Beyond his professional achievements, Mr. Ewherido is a passionate community builder and
mentor. He was a pioneer mentor for the Young Energy Professionals Organization Network in
Houston, fostering the growth and development of future leaders since 2002. His dedication to
mentorship and knowledge-sharing aligns with his leadership role at NAMC. Since joining the
NAMC Board of Trustees in 2014, he has contributed his global perspective and strategic
acumen to the organization's mission. He also serves as Chair of the Board for the Fort
Lauderdale DSA Academy for Autistic Children, reflecting his commitment to social impact and
education.
Mr. Ewherido resides in Houston, Texas, with his family. He is deeply dedicated to fostering
innovation, leadership, and community engagement in all his endeavors.
He was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria and attended Yaba College of Technology, the class of 1973.
After a brief working stint at R.T Briscoe in Apapa and Brussels, Belgium, he proceeded to the United States of America in 1979 for his University education. He completed both his undergraduate degree in Accounting and Masters Degree in Clinical Sociology at Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas. Upon graduation, he worked briefly as an Accountant at Educational Institutions before finally establishing his own Accounting and Mortgage business in 1999. He is the President and CEO of Midland Mortgage & Financial Services in Houston, Texas. He is a father and grandfather; happily married with seven children and five grandchildren.
He loves to relax to music and participate in sporting, political and cultural activities at both local, national and international levels. He is also civic minded and always try to give back to all his communities both in religious and cultural arenas.
Hezekiah Adesola (‘Sola) Oyinlola retired from Schlumberger Limited after 31 years in executive, operational and financial positions across the world. His last assignment was Chairman Africa & Global Head of Sustainability and CSR, based in Houston. He also served as President of the Schlumberger Foundation from 2011 until his retirement in 2015. Prior to these positions, Sola Oyinlola was Vice President & Group Treasurer between 2007 and 2011.
Before arriving at the Schlumberger corporate headquarters, Mr Oyinlola had a long career in the field, based in multiple countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, Middle East and the USA, spanning executive, operations and financial positions, including Vice President & Managing Director for Nigeria & West Africa, and Vice President & Managing Director for the Malaysia-Brunei-Philippines region in East Asia. He has served as Personnel Director for Europe, CIS & Africa, and has held several financial management positions in the US and Europe, including North American controller, Europe & Africa controller, Product Group Controller, Assistant Treasurer, Group Tax Director of various business units of the company. Prior to Schlumberger, Mr Oyinlola worked at the Central Bank of Nigeria and in ABB in Sweden.
Since 2014, Mr. Oyinlola has served as a non-executive director of Guaranty Trust Bank in Nigeria. He also serves on the boards of directors of Lekoil Limited, Shelf Drilling Offshore Services both in NIgeria, and on the boards of several non-profits, including the Schlumberger Foundation in the USA, and the FSD Africa, the UK DFID supported organization working to eradicate poverty through deepening capital markets in Africa, based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is currently Chairman of the Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce in the US and sits on its board in Nigeria, and as a co-founder of the Lagos Petroluem Club, remains on the Advisory Board of that organization in Nigeria. He is co- founder & Chairman of Spectralink Wireless Limited, a new generation ISP utilizing TV white space technology to provide broadband connectivity in sub Sahara Africa. Today, Mr Oyinlola is primarily an angel investor and mentor, and additionally provides financial advisory services through his African Infrastructure Partners, LLC entity based in Houston.
He holds a BSc in Accounting from the University of Ghana, and an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 1984. He is an alumnus of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, and has attended executive courses in several business schools in Europe and the USA.
Mr Oyinlola is married with children, and primarily lives in Houston.
Oluseyi Afolabi retired from ExxonMobil Upstream Companies in Nigeria on April 1, 2017. Her pre-retirement assignment was Executive Director, Upstream Commercial/General Manager, Business Development. In this role she was primarily responsible for leading significant commercial negotiations with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and potential farm-out/in companies.
Seyi joined Mobil Producing Nigeria in February1989 as Reservoir Engineer III. During the period of her career, she held several key technical and managerial positions, including: Snr Reservoir Engineer, Mobil Exploration and Production Technology Center, Dallas Texas, USA; Reservoir Modeling Engineer, Central Technology Office, Houston Texas, USA; Reservoir Engineering Supervisor, General Manager, Plans & Programs/New Business Development; General Manager, Commercial & Nigeria Content; General Manager, Projects Development; Senior Technical Advisor, Project Management and Execution, ExxonMobil Development Company, (EMDC) Houston, Texas; Manager, Construction Support Manager (Africa & Asia Pacific region), EMDC, Houston, Texas; General Manager, Project Support and General Manager, Business Development, Upstream Nigeria, Commercial.
Seyi was elevated to the Board of Mobil Producing Nigeria as an Executive Director in July 2012. In December 2015, she was also appointed to the Board of Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL) and EEPNL (Offshore East). She was the only female on the eight-man Board of Directors of these upstream companies. She was also a member of the Upstream Nigeria Extended Leadership Team, Leadership Development Committee (LDC) and was a key Advisory Committee member of the ExxonMobil Women Interest Network (WIN).
Seyi is a 1984 graduate of Chemical Engineering from the University of Lagos, Akoka. She completed her mandatory National Youth Service Corp at the Ashland Oil Company Port Harcourt in 1985 and was immediately hired as a Reservoir Engineer with the same company until February 1989.
Oluseyi Afolabi is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (Nigeria Council), and the University of Lagos Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association. She is a Member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and a Fellow of the Nigeria Society of Chemical Engineers.
She is happily married to Chief Tunde Afolabi and they are both rewarded by the Almighty God with blessed children.
Unwana has over 29 years of experience spanning oil exploration, project management and human resources development. He is currently a Senior Human Resources Manager in Chevron Corporation, Houston, Texas. In his role, he acts as principal advisor to the senior leadership team on human capital issues.
He has worked as a Geologist and Human Resources Business Partner in Chevron Corp. His experience spans the fields of talent management, competency development and total rewards. With a background in earth sciences, he spent the earlier part of his career in oil exploration and project management. He is currently a Professional Member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) in the United States.
Unwana holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Geology from the University of Calabar, Nigeria.
With an avid interest in community development, he is a member of the International Association of Lions Clubs. He has served in many offices of the Board of Directors of his club, including the President, Lagos Achievers Lions Club. Unwana holds the highest honor of the Lions Clubs International – the Melvin Jones fellowship. He has chartered community service organizations in Nigeria and currently volunteers in service projects in the Houston area and beyond.
Unwana is a past Board Chair of NAMC.
He also enjoys exercising, strategy development, real estate and traveling. He is married with children.
ID Boyejo brings over 20 years of experience in the Financial Services Sector, primarily in Corporate Banking. He currently serves as Senior Vice President in the Global Banking and Markets Division of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, covering Texas and Louisiana markets. In this capacity, his responsibilities include leading a team of commercial banking product specialists to deliver strategic financial guidance and comprehensive solutions to Corporations and Institutions.
His Banking career has included diverse roles of increasing responsibility at leading global financial firms, such as JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and presently at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He advises corporate executives on complex banking transactions to support growth or restructuring objectives. ID’s experience includes coverage of Commercial and Industrial companies in diversified Industries, as well as Governmental and Non-Profit Institutions with Tax-Exempt designations. These include, Cities & Municipalities, Port Authorities, Transit Systems, as well as Healthcare Systems, School Districts, Universities and Social Service Organizations.
Prior to his current role, ID served as Chief Financial Officer and Business Development Executive at SBSC, a mid-sized Technology Consulting Company. There he worked with the CEO and the Management team to develop and execute a growth strategy that included successful expansion into new markets in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
To help create a more sustainable future for the companies and communities he serves, ID volunteers with several not-for-profit organizations focused on ending hunger and homelessness, most recently with the Houston Food Bank, and Habitat for Humanity. He’s also passionate about mentoring teammates and young professionals. He has participated in formal Board / Community Leadership Development Programs including United Way of Greater Houston’s Project Blueprint, as well as Leadership Greater New Haven, in Connecticut. ID’s prior non-profit Board / Committee experiences include: the Urban League of Greater Hartford and the Affordable Home Ownership Program initiative of the City of New Haven, both in Connecticut. He has also served on the Finance Committee at his local Church. He also generally enjoys volunteering on ad-hoc sub-committee projects at local not-for-profit organizations around the Greater Houston area.
ID attended IGBOBI College and completed his undergraduate degree in Biology, from the University of Lagos, both in Nigeria. He obtained his MBA (Accounting Concentration) from the University of New Haven, Connecticut. He resides in the Houston metro area with his wife and two teenage sons.
Mr. Tony Henshaw is currently the Manager of the Small Business Development Group (SBDG) for the City of Houston, Department of Public Works and Engineering (PWE). In that capacity, he is responsible for the administration and implementation of the Small / Minority / Women Business Enterprises (S/MWBE) Program; and the management of the Pay or Play Program.
He has over 25 years of experience in Accounting, Auditing, Contract Compliance and Business Development in the public and private sector.
Tony is a Certified Public Manager (CPM); also a Certified Compliance Administrator (CCA); holds a Master of Compliance Administrator (MCA); and a graduate of the University of Houston A.A. White Dispute Resolution Institute.
As a strong advocate for small, women and minority-owned business, he has implemented strategies that have increased minority participation in all areas of PWE procurement.
orn & raised in Houston, TX, Ejikeme Okoroha Jr. (Steve) graduated from John Foster Dulles High School in 2003 and attended Georgetown University, where he received his undergraduate bachelor’s degree in Government with a double minor in Philosophy & Sociology. He then attended South Texas College of Law where he served on the executive board of the Black Law Student’s Association, participated in the Gerald Treece Mock Trial Academy, and also participated in the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition held in San Antonio, TX in 2011.
Steve was previously employed by and done extensive work for the Harris County Attorney’s Office working in the Family & Juvenile departments practicing CPS law. Following this, he balanced his time working as a Staff Attorney for Lone Star Legal Aid, helping low income families and individuals with a wide range of legal issues, and currently operates his own law practice, where he currently handles estate planning, contract, business formation, family, and traffic cases.
Steve was also selected by the Houston Bar Association to be a speaker for a seminar titled The Importance of Jury Service for students of Alief Taylor High School. Steve pursues opportunities to expand his legal knowledge and is a member of The College of the State Bar of Texas as well as the State Bar Pro Bono College, where he provides free legal representation to indigent citizens. He is also licensed to practice in the Southern District of Texas for bankruptcy cases.
Steve also remains an active member of his undergraduate and law school alumni associations while also being a member of the American, National, and Houston Bar Associations, and the Texas and Houston Young Lawyers Associations. Steve also previously served as the Parliamentarian for the Houston Lawyers Association.
In the area of cultural involvement, Steve serves on the Board of Directors for Umu Igbo Unite as its legal advisor and is the founder and former President of the Houston Chapter. Steve also currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Nigerian American Multicultural Council. Additionally, Steve was instrumental in developing the Igbo Development Group as its former President, which was influential in delivering school supplies and scholarships to primary schools in Eastern Nigeria. Steve was inducted into the American Caribbean Chamber of Commerce as its President, but currently serves as the Executive Senior Vice President of Legal.
Steve currently serves as the Executive Director of Pan-African Legal Services, which was formerly African Law Center Houston, a non-profit law firm where he provides pro-bono and low-cost legal services to African Immigrants in the areas of Family, Immigration, Landlord/Tenant, and Consumer law issues. Steve also runs Lawyer Up Legal Services, which is a law firm that helps small businesses with their contract and document needs, as well as outside counsel requirements.
Steve completed two political campaigns, running for City Council-District C in Missouri City in 2019 and Fort Bend County Clerk in 2022. Steve also was recently selected to the list of the Top 40 Under 40 Lawyers in Texas by The National Black Lawyers organization. Steve has completed filming of 4 seasons of a legal show titled “Lawyer Up with Steve O” and is in the process of filing his third season on Afrovibes Television, where he gives legal tips and community resources to those in need. Steve was also inducted into the inaugural editions of Who’s Who in the Nigerian Diaspora and Who’s Who in the African Diaspora. Steve is married with 2 beautiful children.
