Hello, I'm Daniels Akpan!
For 10 years, I have helped governments, businesses, and nonprofits navigate complex challenges by integrating innovation, service design, and systems thinking to drive innovative and culturally sensitive solutions that not only deliver impactful changes but address immediate needs and
build long-term sustainable solutions.
DANIELS AKPAN
Project Manager & Service Design Specialist
+1 (980) 292-4666
Email:
Location:
Cleveland, Ohio
Phone:
EXPERIENCE
2022-2024
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
Innovation and Research Associate
In this role, I applied systems thinking and design methodologies to address complex social issues in education and public health. I co-led the design and implementation of project operations for the World Bank's financial inclusion, targeting 1.2 million young women across 54 African nations, and directed the iterative development of the Aha! Reading App, to improve literacy for over 10,000 students, and implemented targeted interventions to reduce student absenteeism by 15% in North Carolina.
2023-2024
Project Intern
CAROLINA INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
In this role, I facilitated stakeholder collaboration through digital design thinking tools to design and implement the Public Health Nurses Credential Course, a mandatory training for all public health nurses in North Carolina. I also led the development of the Learning Management System and a comprehensive post-graduation evaluation framework for the 1,000 pilot public health nurses across North Carolina, thereby improving the quality of public health services statewide.
2022-2023
CAROLINA CENTER FOR PUBLIC SERVICE
Graduate Assistant
As a Graduate Assistant, I mentored over 50 Buckley Public Service Scholars, providing impactful training and personalized support that led to the successful implementation of 25+ community-driven projects across North Carolina. Through my role, I guided scholars in applying service design and systems thinking to engage stakeholders and address real-world challenges, helping them create sustainable, socially impactful initiatives that positively impacted their local communities.
2014 - 2022
AFRICAN CENTRE FOR EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENT
Development and Program Manager
In this role, I led decolonizing education initiatives across eight African countries, directly enhancing access for over 120,000 students while securing more than $1million in donor funding through data-driven strategies. My leadership in advocating for $61.7 billion in the state and foreign appropriations, and managing multi-country grant efforts not only strengthened stakeholder relationships but also increased program reach and effectiveness by 30%, ensuring alignment with local and international standards for educational impact.
2021-2022
Education Project Consultant
DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH AND PROJECT CENTRE
In my role, I led resource mobilization efforts that secured over $500,000 in funding for education projects in Nigeria, utilizing compelling communication and proposal writing skills to effectively convey project goals and impact. By mentoring a dynamic team on systems thinking and design thinking methodologies, I drove the design and implementation of innovative educational interventions that significantly improved outcomes and opportunities for vulnerable communities in rural Northern and Southern Nigeria.
2021-2021
UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUNDS
Project Intern
In this role, I led the design of a comprehensive survey that assessed gaps among adolescents and youth in Northern Nigeria, addressing systemic issues and informing government policies and funding priorities. This approach helped shape targeted interventions to better meet the needs of young people, driving more effective resource allocation and long-term solutions.
EDUCATION
2024
TRINE UNIVERSTIY
Master of Business Administration in Project Management
Through this program, I have learnt the strategy and framework to lead innovative, service-oriented projects that tackle pressing social issues within communities. By integrating business principles with effective program management, I have successfully driven initiatives that enhance stakeholder collaboration and optimize resource allocation, enabling government agencies, nonprofits, and businesses to implement sustainable solutions that create lasting social impact.
2023
Masters of Art in Educational Innovation, Technology, and Entreprenuership
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
This program deepened my expertise in creating impactful solutions for complex social issues, equipping me with advanced knowledge in design thinking and innovation. It enabled me to effectively integrate technology into program management across government, nonprofit, and business sectors, empowering me to develop human-centered strategies that address critical challenges and promote sustainable community development.
2018
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
Ahmadu Bello University
My formative years in the Industrial Design program at Ahmadu Bello University honed my design thinking and problem-solving skills, blending creativity with practicality. This academic foundation equipped me with the tools to create innovative and user-centered designs, preparing me to tackle real-world challenges in various sectors, including government, nonprofit, and business.
ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATION
2024
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
Graduate Certificate in Improvement and Implementation Science
The Graduate Certificate in Improvement and Implementation Science honed my expertise in designing and implementing evidence-based solutions that drive systemic change. By applying rigorous methodologies and innovation strategies, I’ve addressed social injustices, creating scalable interventions that improve outcomes in marginalized communities. This program has empowered me to translate complex theories and frameworks into practical, impactful solutions that enhance social systems across sectors.
2023
Graduate Certificate in Participatory Research
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
The Graduate Certificate in Participatory Research equipped me with the tools to actively engage communities in addressing social injustices, ensuring their voices drive the solutions to systemic challenges. Through this program, I developed expertise in collaborative research methods, allowing me to co-create decolonized, innovative, community-centered strategies that foster sustainable change and empower marginalized populations across complex social systems.
2023
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
Graduate Certificate in Improvement and Implementation Science
Through the Graduate Certificate in Innovation for Public Good, I honed advanced skills in human-centered design and systems thinking, enabling me to tackle social injustices at their core. This program empowered me to craft innovative, scalable solutions that drive lasting, equitable change within complex social systems across public and nonprofit sectors.
PREVIOUS CLIENTS & PARTNERS
SKILLS
Service Design
Design Thinking
System Thinking
Policy Innovation
Advocacy
Project Management
Report Writing
Budget Management & Donor Compliance
Qualitative & Quantitative Research
Stakeholder's Engagement
TECHNICAL REPORTS AND RESEARCH
The Arewa Girls Forum (AGF) empowers adolescent and young girls in Northern Nigeria, who face significant challenges such as poverty, cultural barriers, and insecurity. With funding from World Connect, AGF provided vocational and soft skills training to 133 girls in the Muchia Community of Zaria, Kaduna State, offering them tools to improve their socio-economic status and escape vulnerability. Over 12 weeks, participants learned key vocational skills like fashion design and catering, alongside leadership and business management skills. The program fosters holistic development, equipping girls with the resources, confidence, and opportunities to thrive.
This project investigates the economic challenges small-scale businesses in Kaduna State faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic and explores their sustainability in response to economic shocks. Using data from 360 small businesses, the study provides critical insights into business operations, power consumption, government intervention, and crime impact, highlighting a significant reduction in productivity and sales. The findings offer a roadmap for economic intervention and policy recommendations to enhance business resilience and support small enterprises in Kaduna State.
This report provides a comprehensive evaluation of Nigeria's Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs, highlighting their significant contributions to workforce development, economic growth, and social inclusion. It also explores the challenges limiting their full potential, offering strategic recommendations to advance TVET as a critical component of Nigeria's socioeconomic development and youth empowerment.
Africa's largest economy and most populous nation–Nigeria–is faced with a critical challenge with one in three children out of school despite governmental efforts and international interventions. Our study used a multi-disciplinary approach to explore the system's gaps and drivers, identifying key issues like education funding, corruption, and cultural factors. Although data collection had limitations, our research provides valuable insights to inform effective policies and interventions aimed at promoting universal access to quality education in Nigeria.
This book chapter provides an overview of global development through its history, measurement, and the role that global social workers play in its implementation. It explores the various ways global development is measured—such as through gross domestic product and gross national product, human development, and Millennium Development Goals. Special attention is also paid to Sustainable Development Goals. The global social worker is integral to measuring development and must be aware of its implications for policy, practice, and research, along with its critiques.
This study explores the experiences of international students at the University of North Carolina through the lens of decolonizing research methods. By using participatory tools like games, the research gave international students agency to shape and narrate their own stories, with the goal of influencing policy change. This approach marks a shift from traditional, extractive methodologies, fostering a more innovative, inclusive and empowering research process.