Hi there! My name is Haleemah. And honestly, I am fascinated by and deeply terrified of human-constructed social systems. How they are built, who they harm, where the power gaps lie, and what it takes to redesign them continue to be the focus of my professional and academic journeys. 

That terror and fascination started in a school for blind children in Oyo State, Nigeria. The benches they sat on were splintered, the tables holding their typewriters wobbled, and I watched these blind children navigate, with grace, a room designed to hurt them. And then I asked why the school hadn’t bothered to smooth the wood, and no one in charge could give me an answer. So, I chose to spend my career answering my own question.

In corporate language, I am an applied social scientist who (re)builds multi-sector partnerships to solve complex social problems. For nearly a decade, across the United States and West Africa, I have designed the programs, governance, and narrative systems that let coalitions, nonprofits, networks, grantmakers, leaders, and communities move together toward a shared goal of improving the quality of life for historically marginalized populations.

My hypothesis is that because systems are designed by human beings, we can collectively choose to rebuild them until everyone within them is treated with dignity.

That is why my work spans public health, conservation, environmental justice, economic development, and equity matters. Across these issue areas, I have built operational infrastructure, shaped institutional policies, led cross-functional projects, and contributed to the passage of state and federal legislation, including the Lymphedema Treatment Act, which secured Medicare coverage for the compression garments people living with lymphedema need. 

I hold an MBA from Sullivan University, an MA in International Development from Ohio University, and a BS in Communications from Crescent University. In 2025, I was named a Young, Gifted & Green 40 Under 40 honoree.

When I’m not working, you’ll find me at an ice cream spot, exploring an easy-to-moderate trail, listening to music, watching something funny, or deep in my literary fixation of the month.

If you’re building or funding something that requires diverse stakeholder partnerships toward a mission-driven goal, I’d really like to hear from you!