Taaka Awori

Taaka Awori is a passionate facilitator, leadership development specialist, and organizational change expert with a deep commitment to transforming leadership across Africa. With years of experience coaching and training leaders in the public, private, and civil society sectors, she believes that leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about action, impact, and authenticity.

As the CEO of Busara Africa, a pan-African leadership development firm, Taaka has worked with leaders to drive meaningful organizational change, navigate tough transitions, strengthen governance, and build resilient, results-driven teams. Whether she’s supporting executives through complex leadership transitions or helping organizations create more inclusive cultures, she brings a wealth of experience, insight, and a deep understanding of what it takes to lead effectively.

Beyond Africa, Taaka has worked extensively with major global organizations, including Open Society Foundation, Ford Foundation, Mastercard Foundation, ActionAid International, Greenpeace International, and Care International. She has also partnered closely with the UN, including UN Women and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Ghana, shaping leadership approaches that drive impact at scale.

In addition to her leadership work, Taaka serves as the Chair of the Board of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) and is a member of the Board of the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) in Geneva. Her commitment to advancing leadership, governance, and human rights is evident in every role she takes on.

Education-wise, she holds a B.A. in Government from Harvard University and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) in Law from Columbia University, but she’ll be the first to tell you that some of her biggest leadership lessons have come from being a mother of two teenagers. Parenting, she says, is the ultimate leadership challenge—teaching patience, negotiation, and the art of guiding without controlling.

Taaka is also the author of Leadership in Africa Redefined – Untold Stories, a book that challenges conventional narratives about leadership on the continent and highlights the often-overlooked stories of leaders driving real change

Additional Reading: Avance Media’s 2024 100 Most Influential African Women