Meet the Panelists
Precious Achiuwa
Founder of What If Unlimited; current NBPA member
Precious Achiuwa is a Nigerian-born NBA player for the New York Knicks who is deeply committed to youth development and community engagement, particularly in Africa. Born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Precious moved to the United States to pursue his basketball career but has never lost sight of his roots. He has consistently used his platform to give back to his home continent, with a focus on empowering young athletes and promoting education. His belief in the transformative power of sports drives his mission to create opportunities for the next generation of African youth to achieve their potential.
Achiuwa has made significant strides in philanthropy, most notably through his initiative, WHAT IF UNLIMITED. The organization is dedicated to empowering young people across Africa by combining sports, education, and innovation. Through WHAT IF UNLIMITED, Precious provides essential resources, mentorship, and opportunities to underserved communities, aiming to inspire the youth to dream beyond their circumstances. His work reflects a commitment to fostering long-term, sustainable development across the continent by using his influence as a professional athlete to uplift others. Whether through organizing youth camps, educational programs, or community outreach, Precious remains focused on making a lasting impact in Africa by helping the next generation overcome obstacles and achieve success.
Travis Adkins
President and Chief Executive Officer at U.S. African Development Foundation
Travis Adkins is the President and CEO of the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF). He is also a Lecturer of African and Security Studies at the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, where he concurrently teaches in the Prison Scholars Program of Georgetown’s Prisons and Justice Initiative.
As an international development leader, Mr. Adkins has over two decades of experience working in governance, education, humanitarian affairs, and women’s and youth empowerment in over 50 nations throughout Africa and the Middle East. Previously, he served as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Africa at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). He has also served as Staff Director of the House Subcommittee on Africa, working with leading international NGOs, think tanks, and various branches of the United Nations system.
He is an alumnus of the International Affairs Fellowship at the Council on Foreign Relations, a former Senior Fellow of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and a recipient of academic appointments from Carnegie Mellon and New York Universities.
Mr. Adkins has served in numerous international election observation missions in Africa and the Middle East with the National Democratic Institute, is a regular contributor to national and international media outlets on African affairs and is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds Master’s degrees in International Affairs and Education from The New School and Lehman College, and is a graduate of Fisk University, one of our nation’s illustrious Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Thomas Debass
Managing Director of the Office of Global Partnerships at the U.S. Department of State
Thomas Debass serves as Managing Director of the Office of Global Partnerships at the U.S. Department of State. Thomas is responsible for coordinating the Department’s private sector engagement efforts and providing thought leadership on partnerships related to economic growth, global finance, entrepreneurship, and innovation. His notable partnership accomplishments include: Fishackathon, Unreasonable Goals, Women In Science (WiSci) Camp, Veterans Innovation Partnership (VIP), Liberalizing Innovation Opportunity Nations (LIONS@FRICA), and Boldline PPP Accelerator. Thomas has played a leading role in promoting and institutionalizing the role of public private partnerships as a tool for advancing foreign policy and development objectives. He regularly gives lectures and talks about the intersection of foreign policy, business, and society.
Prior to joining the State Department, he was Lead Economist/Deputy Director in the Office of Investment Policy with the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) in Washington, DC. Thomas also served as a senior technical advisor in USAID’s Global Development Alliance (currently named Development Lab) and Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (currently named E3) teams. Prior to his development finance career, Thomas worked on agricultural research projects in South Asia and East Africa. Thomas is a graduate of Virginia Tech with a master’s degree in Applied Economics and a bachelor’s in Economics. He also has an Executive Certificate in International Business Management from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University and Executive Leadership Certificate from Berkeley.
Thelma Ekiyor
Chairperson Nigeria Office for Philanthropy & Impact Investing (NPO)
Ms. Thelma Ekiyor-Solanke is an internationally recognised Gender Lens Impact Investor, Philanthropy Advisor and Social Entrepreneur with over 24 years’ experience.Ms. Ekiyor-Solanke has pioneered, founded, and led several organisations and initiatives focused on philanthropy, impact investing and women’s economic empowerment, and
has received global recognition for her work: In 2020, Ms. Ekiyor-Solanke was listed as one of the 50 most influential women in the development sector in Africa.
- In August 2021, the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, USA named Ms. Ekiyor-
Solanke as one of the top 10 Black Women in Philanthropy & Impact Investing. - In 2023, she received the Peak Performer – Super Achiever Award in Nigeria
- In 2024, she was appointed as Pioneer Chairperson of the first-ever Nigeria Office for Philanthropy & Impact Investing, domiciled in the Office of the Vice President.
She currently serves as Chairperson of Boards in Africa, United Kingdom and globally, which include:
- Chairperson/co-Founder of Proof Accelerator UK, that focusses on supporting
and investing in African immigrant entrepreneurs. - Co-Chair/co-Founder of Women in Philanthropy & Impact (WIPIA), a newly formed
global diaspora platform of African women leaders working in philanthropy and
impact. - Co-Founder/Chairperson of SME.NG. She also served as its Managing Partner.
- Co- Founder/Chairperson of Afrigrants, a social enterprise, and served as its pioneering CEO.
Additionally, Ms. Ekiyor-Solanke currently serves and previously served on the following Boards and Investment Committees:
- Chair, Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC) South Africa
- Member, Gender Advisory Board – African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA)
- Former Co-Chair of Black Philanthropy Africa – A global community for
philanthropists of colour. - Former Board Member, National Advisory Board on Impact Investing in Nigeria
(NABII) - Former Investment Committee Member, Investment Committee of the SDG
Impact Finance Initiative (Switzerland)
Ms. Ekiyor-Solanke is currently completing a Doctorate in Entrepreneurship at Cranfield
University, UK.
She holds an MBA (Entrepreneurship & Innovation) from Imperial College London, UK.
She has a Law Degree (LLB Honours) from University of Buckingham UK.
She is a Stanford University (USA), Fellow.
Josh Ghaim, Ph.D.
Founder and Managing Partner – IgniteGB Inc. Co-Founder and CEO - Small World Brands Inc
Professor Kevin Chika Urama
Chief Economist/Vice President for the Economic Governance & Knowledge Management Complex of the African Development Bank Group
Pops Mensah-Bonsu
Founder of SEED Academy Ghana; former NBPA member
Pops Mensah-Bonsu, a London native, carved out a distinctive legacy in both college and professional basketball. He excelled at George Washington University, leading the Colonials to NCAA tournament appearances and earning various accolades, including an induction into the Hall of Fame. After going undrafted, he became the second player of Ghanaian descent in the NBA. His 10-year career spanned teams like the Spurs, Raptors, and Rockets, along with international stints including the London 2012 Olympics.
Post-retirement, Pops joined the NBPA and later worked as a scout for the San Antonio Spurs. He also served as GM for the Capital City Go-Go, achieving a winning culture and playoff success. Currently, he is the Director of NBA G-League International, empowering future generations of African athletes. Pops is also an advocate for African investment and leadership, working closely with the Diaspora. He lives in New York with his wife Chiara and their children: Lola, Elijah, and Joseph.
