Our Team
Ijeoma Kola, Ph.D.
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | LinkedIn
Dr. Ijeoma Kola (she/her) is the Founder and Executive Director of Cohort Sistas, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting historically underrepresented scholars in doctoral education through mentorship, community building, and tailored resources.
An Assistant Professor at the University of Notre Dame, Dr. Kola researches the modern history of race, medicine, and environmental justice. Her commitment to supporting underrepresented students began at Harvard University, where she led mentoring programs, and continued through roles as a peer educator, mentor, and health advocate.
In addition to her academic and nonprofit work, Dr. Kola has connected with diverse audiences through blogging, where her storytelling reached over 250,000 followers and championed empowerment and representation. A proud first-generation immigrant, Dr. Kola earned her PhD in Sociomedical Sciences from Columbia University and remains driven by a belief in the transformative power of education. She and her husband are raising their two young children between South Bend, Indiana, and Nairobi, Kenya.
Board of Directors
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Ashley Schloss, Ph.D.
Senior Manager, McKinsey & Company | LINKEDIN
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Hillary Webb-Ganaway, Ed.D.
Fiscal Manager, New York University | LINKEDIN
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Joanne Kamens, Ph.D.
STEM and DEI Consultant | LINKEDIN
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Saron Tesfalul
Investor, Dragoneer Investment Group | LINKEDIN
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Steven Lipper
Retired, Former Investment Manager | LINKEDIN
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Tiffany Wiggins, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, North Carolina Central University | LINKEDIN
Join the team
Are you passionate about increasing equity in higher education? Does a startup nonprofit sound like an interesting place to use your gifts? If so, we invite you to join our incredible team at Cohort Sistas! We have career, internship, and volunteer opportunities available throughout the year. Check below for current vacancies, or drop us a line to indicate your interest!
