TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY DUBLIN

“Adaku Okafor from PhoenixRize Consulting works with our staff to deliver workshops on Anti-Racism & Inclusive Teaching Environments. Adaku Okafor supports our staff to develop the competence and language to facilitate discussions about racism in the classroom and to learn how to be anti-racist educators. Participant feedback is consistently positive and participants welcome the opportunity to explore race equality in a teaching environment facilitated by Adaku Okafor’s expertise and experience.” 

 

Dr. Ashley O’Donoghue
Head of Staff Development,
TU Dublin, Grangeorman Campus
Ireland

 

THE CFO LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

“Adaku Okafor spoke to the CFO Leadership Council on “The Power of Inclusive Leadership”, which awakened in us that we must be the one to approach each interaction with the goal to understand and to help others understand. I know our members received her message in a deeper way than just hearing her – Adaku Okafor has a way to motivate you to be a better leader; a better person. – I know that she will continue to affect the world for good as long as she is given the platform to use her very, very important voice.” 

 

Angela Tise
Regional Director
National Membership Chair Team  Leader  |  CXO NOW^™
The CFO Leadership Council
USA

TIN CAN KNITS

“It has been a pleasure to work with Adaku Okafor as our diversity and inclusion coach. She is both thoughtful and knowledgeable, listening to what makes our business unique and helping us to identify our specific needs (since we are a very small company they are a little different).She has helped us to make diversity and inclusion part of the foundation of our business. Adaku Okafor has helped us to narrow our focus and enact real changes.” 

 

Alexa Ludeman & Emily Wessel
Founders, Tin Can Knits
Canada & Edinburgh

COOLMINE THERAPEUTIC CENTRE

“I participated in two training days in 2019. The facilitator I found to be very professional, engaging and polite. Also, this trainer had much awareness of the topics covered.Both of these days were enjoyable and extremely informative. I would highly recommend Adaku Okafor to facilitate training.” 

 

Charles Lane
Project worker, D15 Community Addiction Team
Ireland

IRISH REFUGEE COUNCIL

“Adaku Okafor facilitated a number of modules on our “Integration from Day One” Women’s employment programme at the Irish Refugee Council, coming onboard with us at the start of the Pandemic at a time of considerable uncertainty and rapid change. I can honestly say that this uncertainty posed no obstacle to Adaku Okafor who is an innovative leader in inspiring change. From my dealing with her, Adaku Okafor has always been entirely professional, good-humoured, responsive and clear. Adaku Okafor makes everything easy, constantly looking for ways to go above and beyond. She is incredibly passionate about the work she delivers, and her honesty and sincerity shines through.
I look forward to working with her again in the future.”  

 

Greta Keegan
Employment Officer
Irish Refugee Council
Ireland

JOY ONYESOH FOUNDATION

“I have worked with Adaku Okafor for a number of years where she has collaborated with me as a speaker and as a coach in some of my programs like the ‘She Speaks’ program where she was so invaluable in providing deep insights for women who were looking for clarity on how to soar and also women who needed entrepreneurial guidance. Adaku Okafor has been a very strong facilitator in all the programs that I have done, Thank you Adaku Okafor. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you to anyone who needs that clarity in discovering their purpose or in navigating the murky waters of entrepreneurship journey.”

 

Prof. Joy Onyesoh
Breakthrough & Transformative Leadership Coach
President, Joy Onyesoh Foundation
Nigeria

GALWAY-MAYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

“Attending the seminar on anti-racism & inclusivity led by Adaku Okafor was insightful, thought-provoking and challenging. Her enthusiasm, tempered with authentic empathy, kept us focused throughout. The content was both interesting and informative and very well presented.

I would definitely encourage my colleagues to attend as I imagine everyone would benefit.”

 

Dr. Trish O’Connell
Lecturer in Biopharmaceutical & Medical Mathematics
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
Galway, Ireland

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

“Adaku was warm, engaging and well prepared for our workshop, leading us through complex issues while providing space for discussion of the specific challenges and opportunities in our field. Her experience and knowledge helped to broaden thinking around how we approach the process of making appointments to State Boards under our remit and we will certainly be working with PhoenixRize again in the future.”

 

Stephen Brophy
Agency Governance and Clinical Indemnity Unit
Department of Health
Ireland

LIMERICK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

“Adaku Okafor and I co-facilitated a session on Race Equality during a Staff Development Day. Participants during the session were highly engaged and commented that Adaku Okafor’s points were very thought provoking and inspiring. Adaku Okafor was a pleasure to work with, she is very knowledgeable about issues relating to equality, diversity and inclusion. She has a great way of engaging people and talking about a topic that can be difficult for some.”

 

Dr. Carol Wrenn
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager
Limerick Institute of Technology
Moylish Park, Limerick, Ireland

HEALTH RESEARCH CHARITIES IRELAND

“Adaku Okafor gave a presentation on barriers and solutions to including people from BME communities in public and patient involvement in research.  I found her to be impressive in her knowledge about the key issues on the topic, and she made insightful and thought-provoking points that have inspired me in my approach to inclusion and diversity.  She is both passionate about her work and engaging in how she communicates her message.”

 

Dr. Sarah Delaney
Research Support Officer
Health Research Charities Ireland

Open Doors Initiative

“Adaku is an authentic, vibrant and accountable leader.  Through her work, she continuously demonstrates her knowledge, expertise and experience in the field of diversity, equity and inclusion. When it comes to delivery, Adaku drives this with passionate and personal experience, giving her the cutting edge that is required when dealing with stakeholders. Companies that are looking to make meaningful change in this area, should contact Adaku through to truly see what she can deliver.”

 

Siobhan Sweeney 
Director of Development,
Diversity, Equality & Inclusion
Open Doors Initiative
Ireland

SHOUTOUT

“Along with a number of fellow LGBTQ+ community groups, we benefited hugely from PhoenixRize’s anti-racism training. The session was eye-opening, informative, and interactive, and left us with a number of concrete actions we can take to build antiracist practice in our organisations. We would highly recommend this workshop, and PhoenixRize’s training and resources to any business or community organisation seeking to take their first steps to antiracism.”

Aifric Ní Chríodáin
Development Manager
ShoutOut
Ireland

BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY

“I attended a workshop which Adaku Okafor facilitated on Addressing Workplace Racism and Bias. Adaku Okafor is a skilled and engaging faciiliator and I really enjoyed the session as well as gaining a deeper insight into the biases that impact on inclusion within workplaces.”

Linda O’Sullivan
Senior Sustainability Adviser
Business in the Community
Ireland

TV/Film Industry

“As a Screen Skills Development Coordinator in the Film & Television Industry, I have consulted with Adaku Okafor from PhoenixRize Consulting to deliver training in Diversity and Inclusion and Unconscious Bias on several productions so far this year. We have had a great uptake in the course and the participants have found it “eye opening in the way that how one can be biased without realising it”. Adaku Okafor shows different perspectives across the film industry and how certain things can be perceived which can have a negative effect on the persons involved and the crew as a whole. This is all done in a professional, fun and collaborative format.”

Elaine Nicell
Skills Development Coordinator
Film/TV Industry
Ireland

INSTITUTE OF ART, DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

“Adaku Okafor has been fundamental to supporting IADT’s commitment to foster an inclusive campus. She has provided sessions specifically for academic and teaching staff on dealing with racial microaggressions in class and promoting inclusive pedagogy, she also adapted her materials on our request to run sessions for administrative, technical and professional staff as well as first year students as part of their induction. The feedback on these training has been excellent and Adaku Okafor’s positive impact on institutional culture already evident, as within a day of her first session it was suggested by a participant that a Teams page should be established for all staff to house anti-racism resources. Adaku Okafor’s ability to connect with people, regardless of their role in the Institute, is truly superior and she provides a safe space for staff to ask difficult questions and to raise their confidence in talking about race.”

Claire McGing
Senior Manager, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
IADT Dún Laoghaire
Ireland