Wande Okunoren-Meadows

Wande Okunoren-Meadows is a force. She is the visionary behind a groundbreaking nonprofit and the former leader of a nationally renowned early learning program. Her presence commands, her voice disrupts, and her impact reverberates, making her a catalyst whose work does not simply inspire change; it demands it.

Wande's life has been defined by advocacy. From an early age, she learned what it felt like to be different in the South and to challenge expectations. Rather than shrinking herself to fit in, she stood firm in her identity and created her own path. Much of her journey can be described as that of a wildflower growing through concrete, again and again. Those experiences continue to shape her leadership and fuel her commitment to people who feel overlooked, unheard, or excluded. She understands the transformative power of being given the opportunity to thrive.

Her early work as Executive Director of her family's early childhood center laid the foundation for her innovative approach, earning statewide recognition and a visit from Georgia's former First Lady, Sandra Deal, alongside other key leaders. One of Wande's many imprints is serving as a member of the Big Green DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization), the first nonprofit-led philanthropic DAO dedicated to putting nonprofits in the driver's seat. She is the recipient of numerous honors, including the Nikki T. Randall Servant Leadership Award presented by the Georgia Women's Legislative Caucus, the Martin Luther King Jr. Advisory Council's Rita Jackson Samuels Founder's Award, and a US Senate Commendation from the Office of Senator Jon Ossoff.

Wande's lived experiences of marginalization, rejection, and perseverance add depth to her advocacy. She draws from those experiences to inspire bold thinking, challenge assumptions, and help others imagine new possibilities for solving complex problems. Whether speaking to policymakers, educators, business leaders, or grassroots organizers, she challenges institutions to rethink how they serve, invest in, and partner with communities.

Wande is a graduate of Emory University and the proud mother of three civically engaged children, whom she considers her greatest achievement. They are a happy handful who inspire her every day. Outside of her advocacy, she enjoys the gym, live comedy, and discovering hidden speakeasies.