WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Center for Journalism & Democracy at Howard University announced the appointment of Abiodun Durojaye, Ph.D., as its executive director. As executive director, Durojaye will supervise the center’s day-to-day operations, lead its fundraising efforts and support the center’s mission of strengthening historically informed, pro-democracy journalism. 

“I am deeply honored to serve as the executive director of the Center for Journalism and Democracy at this critical moment when the work of truth-telling, accountability, and an informed public have never been more important,” Durojaye said.  

Durojaye is a transformational executive, educator, and nationally recognized leader who builds and strengthens mission-driven organizations at the intersection of education, equity, opportunity, and social impact. With nearly two decades of leadership across higher education and national nonprofit organizations, she is known for translating bold visions into sustainable systems, aligning strategy, culture, and operations, and developing people and institutions positioned to create lasting impact.  

Most recently, Durojaye served as the chief executive officer of Urban Alliance, a national nonprofit focused on creating pathways from education to career for young people in urban communities, where she led strategic transformation and strengthened organizational sustainability, systems, and impact. She previously served as the executive director of Urban Alliance Chicago, expanding employer partnerships and career pathways for young adults. Her higher education leadership includes serving as the director of career services and employer engagement at Ivy Tech Community College and executive director of career services and placement at National Louis University. Across these roles, she has led efforts to reimagine career development, student success, workforce pathways, employer engagement, and institutional systems, consistently connecting strategy to execution. 

Durojaye brings a deep commitment to the relationships between education, voice, power, and democracy. Her leadership has consistently focused on creating environments where people are equipped not only to access opportunity, but to understand their voice, exercise their agency, and shape the systems that affect their lives. Her “What is Your Starbucks Name?” TEDx talk explores identity, assimilation, and the importance of reclaiming one’s voice, an extension of her broader commitment to belonging, truth, and authentic leadership.  

“As someone who has experienced firsthand how institutions can shape opportunity and whose career has been dedicated to building stronger organizations, developing leaders, and creating pathways for communities to thrive, I understand that democracy requires people with courage, knowledge, and tools to participate in it,” Durojaye said. “The center has established a remarkable foundation, and I am excited to build upon that legacy by strengthening the institution, investing in the next generation of investigative journalists, and expanding the reach and impact of this work.” 

She is the founder and principal of AsidaLove, a leadership and organizational strategy practice that partners with executives, boards, and institutions to strengthen leadership, build organizational capacity, redesign systems, and cultivate cultures rooted in accountability, belonging, and purpose. Throughout her work, she has championed developing the next generation of leaders and building institutions capable of advancing meaningful, sustainable change.  

Durojaye earned a Doctor of Education in interdisciplinary leadership with a concentration in higher education administration from Governors State University. She holds a Master of Arts in African studies and a Bachelor of Science in psychology, both from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

A first-generation Nigerian immigrant, Durojaye brings a global perspective and a deeply personal understanding of the power of education, institutions, and voice. She leads with both rigor and heart and is committed to building organizations that elevate truth, expand access, develop courageous leaders, and create a more informed and engaged democracy.  

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