Damilola Olajubutu is a distinguished rural development and public policy expert whose innovative approach has transformed outcomes for underserved communities. With an exceptional academic foundation, she earned both her first and second degrees in Agricultural Extension and Rural Development from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, graduating as the top student at each level. She is currently advancing her expertise through doctoral studies in Public Policy at Oregon State University.

Driven by a commitment to sustainable solutions for rural development challenges, Damilola founded the Rural Nurture Initiative (RNI), where she serves as Executive Director, and is the Principal Coordinator of the African Rural Development Network (ARDN). Her expertise and thought leadership have garnered international attention, including speaking engagements at the United Nations and international conferences, with extensive coverage by major Nigerian media outlets including TVC News, Punch, Vanguard, Guardian, The Nation, Premium Times, and Nigerian Tribune.

Damilola's expertise has been recognized through her appointment to the Benton County Environment and Natural Resources Advisory Committee (ENRAC) in Oregon, USA. Her previous role as a researcher with the USAID-funded Innovation Lab for Policy Leadership in Agriculture and Food Security demonstrates her collaborative approach to policy research in agriculture and food security.

Damilola's dedication to excellence has garnered numerous accolades. Among others, she was recognized as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders in Oregon for 2023 and 2024, received the Oregon Fellowship for International Research (2025) and ESC Research/Creative Activities Grant (2025), won the Best Poster award at the 13th Annual Pacific Northwest Water Research Symposium (2023) in the United States, 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. Her exceptional leadership has also translated into organizational success, with the Rural Nurture Initiative receiving recognition through awards like the Nigerian Volunteers Award (2022), Go-for-It Africa's Sustainable Impact Award (2021), and winner of the Union Bank Enabling NGOs for Success Initiative (2019).

Through her unique blend of academic rigor, practical experience, and visionary leadership, Damilola continues to bridge the gap between policy and practice, driving meaningful change for rural communities while inspiring the next generation of development professionals globally.