Having served as president and CEO of FOCUS St. Louis since 2014, St. Louis American Foundation will be honouring Yemi Akande-Bartsch, as ‘Non-Profit Executive of the Year’ at the St. Louis American Foundation’s 2023 Salute to Excellence in Business, scheduled to take place on February 16, 2023.
Akande-Bartsch had served as vice president of Leadership and Alumni Programmes for FOCUS, and had more than 20 years of experience in designing and facilitating leadership training, development, and coaching programmes.
She holds a doctorate in communication (with a specialty in intercultural, organizational, and political communication) from the University of Oklahoma. She also earned two master’s degrees from the University of Oklahoma, in human relations and organizational development, and in public relations, journalism, and mass communication.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in speech communication from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. She serves on the boards of directors for the Sheldon Arts Foundation, Greater St. Louis, Inc. and the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy.
Akande-Bartsch, while speaking to the American about FOCUS St. Louis’ future plans, said, FOCUS St. Louis is hard at work on a new strategic plan engaging its board leadership, staff, alumni, and other stakeholders to chart course for the coming years.
She disclosed that, this year, more than 250 individuals will graduate from Focus St. Louis leadership programmes, taking with them the knowledge, resources, and networks so they can help make change not only in their own organisations, but our entire region.
“It’s been great to be back to in-person sessions for all our programs and to be able to offer participants the opportunity to get back out in the community so they can build face-to-face relationships. But we’ve also been grateful for the lessons and capabilities we gained from our time as a virtual learning provider,” she said.
She averred that in March, 2023, FOCUS will be wrapping up its Community Forum Series, hosted in partnership with the United Way of Greater St. Louis, which has been focused on some of the most pressing needs like affordable housing, jobs/transportation, and behavioral health care in the region, where it operates.
