Damilola is an unconventional rural development and public policy professional who passionately advocates for programs and policies that improves rural development outcomes. Her passion to create innovative and sustainable solutions to the developmental problems in rural areas led to the establishment of a non-profit, Rural Nurture Initiative (RNI), where she serves as the Executive Director. She is also the convener of the Young Rural Developers Summit (YORDS), an interdisciplinary platform dedicated to building the capacity of young rural development enthusiasts. Damllola is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in public policy at Oregon State University, U.S.A, and holds her first and second degrees in Agricultural Extension and Rural Development from the prestigious University of Ibadan, Nigeria, graduating as the best student at both levels. Damilola was recently appointed by the Benton County Board of Commissioners as a member of the Environment and Natural Resources Advisory Committee (ENRAC) in Oregon, U.S.A. She previously worked as a researcher at the USAID-funded Innovation Lab for Policy Leadership in Agriculture and Food Security (PiLAF), where she collaborated with a team of researchers to conduct policy research in agriculture, food security, and related matters in Nigeria. Damilola’s commitment to excellence, selfless service, and effecting positive change has attracted multiple recognitions. Among others, she was recognized as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders in Oregon for 2023 and won the Best Poster award at the 13th Annual Pacific Northwest Water Research Symposium (2023). She was a recipient of the prestigious Oregon State University Provost’s Distinguished Graduate Fellowship in 2022, received the RNI Exemplary Leadership Award in 2021, and emerged as Union Rise Challenge Winner in 2020. In 2019, she was recognized as the best graduating Masters’ student and was previously awarded (in 2016) the Departmental Prize and ZARD Scholarships for the best graduating undergraduate student for the 2013/2014 Academic Session at the Department of Agricultural Extension & Rural Development, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Under Damilola’s leadership, her organization (Rural Nurture Initiative) has also been recognized with awards like the Nigerian Volunteers Award (2022), Go-for-It Africa’s Sustainable Impact Award (2021), and the Union Bank Enabling NGOs for Success Grant (2019).