Nigerian trailblazer Pearl Ijeoma Okoro elected to Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees

Okoro, a member of the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, will begin her tenure on July 1, 2024, joining an esteemed group of leaders dedicated to managing the charitable arm of Rotary that funds global service activities.

Okoro brings a wealth of experience to the board, with a 30-year career leading transformation, market development, and management in the insurance industry.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in theater and a postgraduate degree in management, having also studied at Lagos Business School. Her professional journey is complemented by her commitment to community service and empowerment.

In honor of her late father, Okoro founded the Romanus Emeanuru Foundation for Empowerment and Education Development, focusing on women’s empowerment.

She is an active volunteer with the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, a humanitarian organization, and a dedicated member of the Knights of St. John International, a Catholic fraternal service group.

Her leadership extends to her role as the charter president of her chapter of the Lagos Business School Alumni Association and as a patron of the Egbu Women’s Association.

Since joining Rotary in 1999, Okoro has made significant contributions, serving as an RI learning facilitator, assistant regional Rotary Foundation coordinator, endowment/major gifts adviser, and regional vice chair of the End Polio Now: Countdown to History Campaign Committee.

She has been an integral part of the Nigeria PolioPlus Committee and the Rotary Foundation Programs Committee. Okoro’s efforts in preserving Rotary history led to the creation of the Africa zone group of the Rotary Global History Fellowship.

One of Okoro’s proudest moments came when the World Health Organization certified Nigeria as polio-free during her term as End Polio Now zone coordinator.

Reflecting on this achievement, she says, “This was a defining moment for me. We introduced strategies to create awareness and raise funds.”

Her passion for creating lasting change is evident in her belief that “giving is not an exclusive right of the rich.”

Recognized as one of the “five Rotary women leading the fight to end polio” in 2019, Okoro has received a certificate of appreciation from the Foundation, Rotary’s Distinguished Service Award, and the Regional Service Award for a Polio-Free World.

Okoro’s personal interests include travel, singing, dancing, and gardening. She and her husband, Kingsley, are both Rotary Foundation Major Donors, Bequest Society members, and Benefactors. Their two children are also Paul Harris Fellows.

Okoro will serve alongside Mark Daniel Maloney, chairman of the Rotary Foundation Trust, and fourteen other trustees, bringing her unique perspective and dedication to the global philanthropic efforts of The Rotary Foundation.