Kenli Okada

Kenli Okada is a partner at EmpowerK12, a nonprofit dedicated to building data capacity in schools. His focus is on helping school leaders understand how they are achieving their missions and what they can do to further their work. To this end, Kenli is working to develop a new narrative for school success that looks beyond traditional academic measures. He is interested in social-emotional skill measures as well as social cohesion and community development measures.

Before coming to EmpowerK12, Kenli served as a leader in both operations and data roles at E.L. Haynes Public Charter School in Washington, DC. While serving as the founding operations manager of E.L. Haynes High School Kenli developed operations, enrollment, and data systems to support the school’s growth from 0 to over 300 students. As the director of student information, he worked with the CEO and board of trustees to develop and report on the school’s annual goals.

Earlier in Kenli’s career he taught math and physics as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya. He also founded and continues to manage Elimu Strive, a running club for Kenyan high school students. He received his undergraduate degree in mathematics and physics from Brown University and his MBA from the Yale University School of Management.

Kenli is looking forward to connecting with the Jacobs Network to share his on-the-ground experience in education and to learn from entrepreneurs, researchers, and media fellows from around the world.