Zainab Okolo

About Zainab Okolo

Strategic executive leader specializing in policy development, advocacy infrastructure, and cross-sector coalition building to advance organizational mission and create lasting systems change. Leveraging deep expertise in mental health, higher education, and government relations to shape national conversations, influence legislative priorities, and build movements that transform how institutions support well-being.Core Expertise:Strategic Advocacy & Government Relations: Designing and executing multi-tiered advocacy strategies that align organizational priorities with federal, state, and local policy agendasStakeholder Engagement & Coalition Building: Cultivating relationships with policymakers, industry leaders, funders, and grassroots organizations to amplify impact and drive collective actionThought Leadership & External Positioning: Representing organizational interests in high-stakes forums, translating complex policy into actionable insights, and establishing thought leadership on national stagesPolicy Analysis & Implementation: Bridging research, practice, and policy to design evidence-informed programs and reforms that scale across diverse institutional contextsOrganizational Strategy & Change Management: Leading cross-functional initiatives that integrate advocacy, communications, and programmatic goals into cohesive organizational strategyProfessional Journey:Currently leading policy, advocacy, and government relations at The Jed Foundation, where I architect strategies that position mental health at the center of national policy conversations. Previously served as Strategy Officer at Lumina Foundation, shaping postsecondary education policy and advancing equity through strategic grantmaking and thought partnership.My work sits at the nexus of research, practice, and policy, grounded in clinical expertise as a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist and informed by a Doctor of Education from The George Washington University. I bring both lived experience as a practitioner and strategic acumen as a policy architect, enabling me to translate complex challenges into actionable, systems-level solutions.Impact Areas:Mental health practice and policy reform | Higher education access and equity | Federal and state advocacy | Regulatory affairs | Strategic communications | Program implementation and evaluation | Cross-sector partnership development

Experience

1. Senior Vice President of Policy, Advocacy & Government Relations

   The Jed Foundation (JED)

   May 2023 — Present

   Leading the organization\'s policy agenda, government relations infrastructure, and national advocacy strategy to position mental health as a critical priority across federal and state policy landscapes. Architecting multi-stakeholder coalitions, shaping legislative priorities, and representing organizational interests in high-level forums with policymakers, funders, and industry leaders.Key Contributions-Designed and executed comprehensive advocacy strategy integrating federal, state, and grassroots engagement-Built strategic partnerships with Congressional offices, federal agencies, and national organizations to advance mental health policy priorities-Positioned organization as thought leader through strategic communications, media engagement, and policy briefs-Led cross-functional teams to align advocacy, programs, and communications into cohesive organizational strategy-Developed regulatory analysis and comment frameworks to influence federal rulemaking processes

Education

• The George Washington University

  Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Higher Education/Higher Education Administration

  2015 — 2019

• University of Maryland

  Bachelor's of Science, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences

  2004 — 2008

• Syracuse University

  Master of Arts (M.A.), Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling

  2008 — 2010