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August 16, 2019 / 40 Under Forty Class of 2019

40 Under Forty Class of 2016: Kola A. Akindele

Akindele when he won the 40 Under Forty award in 2016
Akindele in 2019
Photo | Erika Sidor From the 20th anniversary of WBJ's 40 Under Forty are (from left) 2019 winner Dr. Shirley D. Konneh, Ph.D., MBA, 2004 alumni Helder Machado, 2016 alumni Kola A. Akindele, 2019 winner Julie Davenport, and 2019 winner Justin Jarboe at The Worcester Club.

Kola A. Akindele

Then: Senior director, community & government relations at UMass Medical School

Now: Assistant vice chancellor, city & community relations at UMass Medical School, Worcester

A year after winning 40 Under Forty, Akindele was named a Rising Star in Health Care by the magazine Becker’s Hospital Review. By the end of 2018, he had been promoted to the assistant vice chancellor at UMass Medical School, where – among his many duties – he has an initiative seeking to address the socioeconomic barriers to academic success faced by students in the north quadrant of the Worcester Public Schools. This continues a career of helping the underserved, such as at one of his first job at Hartford Hospital, where he spearheaded the creation of a mobile market to neighborhoods designated as food deserts in Hartford. Akindele is an assistant health professor at Worcester State University and is a founding member of The African Council, seeking to increase civic engagement among Africans in Massachusetts. He’s served on the Worcester Zoning Board of Appeals, the Oak Hill Community Development Corp. and Holy Name High School. – Profile written by Grant Welker

What is your proudest accomplishment? Positively impacting an entire neighborhood by providing access to affordable, fresh produce.

What advice do you have for this year’s winners? Take advantage of the network and leverage the accolade.

The 40 Under Forty alumni Class of 2016

 

Click here to read about the other featured alumni from the WBJ 40 Under Forty 20th anniversary edition and meet this year's winners

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