United States based Ngozi Bell has joined the Sundiata Post faculty as a columnist. Her article will be published every Tuesday.
With an eclectic background, she will be writing on a variety of issues.
In her words: “I have pretty deep and wide experience which makes it possible for me to write on a variety of topics including on politics, finances, core technology, investment, entrepreneurship, women, trade, fashion/lifestyle and racism etc.”
Inspiration, Hard Work, Innovation. These three foundational elements anchor Ngozi’s core belief that manifesting the extraordinary is always within reach. Inspired by her mother A.C., a scientist and author, she learned the privilege of living at the edge of important encounters and dedicating herself to robust and perpetual learning.
Currently a partner at Trans-Sahara Investment Corporation, Ngozi’s background is a combination of physics, engineering, venture capital/private equity, regulations and business. She has managed over $1bn in revenue, is a speaker most recently on TEDxLehigh-River, and writer on a diverse set of topics from core technology to women to entrepreneurship. She contributes regularly to VOA as an expert on US – Africa matters and is publisher on tech and non-tech platforms.
She is a champion of STEM, women, youth, art and the “Africa we must engage”.
Ngozi Bell was Regional Advocate appointee in President Barack Obama’s administration for the US – Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, representing the mid-Atlantic states. Prior to that appointment, she was Vice President of Birchmere Ventures Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, an early stage venture capital firm focused on Clean Technology, Medical and Technology with over $160M under management. Earlier, she was a director at LSI Corp and held senior management and technical roles in Agere Systems, Lucent Technologies, AT&T Microelectronics and R.W. Beck.
Ngozi Bell holds a degree in physics from the University of Portharcourt (Nigeria) and a masters in electrical engineering from the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (United States) and has more than 23 years of experience ranging from core technology development and support, marketing, corporate and business development and mergers and acquisitions roles. Her work experience cuts across Asia, Europe, Africa, Middle East and North America.
She is a founder of a number of enterprises and host of the podcast Stem, Stocks and Stews (https://anchor.fm/stemstocksstews-podcast).
On her role as a speaker, Ngozi says “One of the best gifts we have as people is the gift of speaking. You can change hearts, steer minds and create visions with it. Those who speak and speak convincingly and with conviction literally open our souls in those moments. They can sometimes erase, overwrite, inscribe, and imprint words that can turn to actions or even a way of life. I love speakers because their weapons of warfare, can be their tool of peace, or their shield of defence or equipment of joy or instrument of sorrow individually or all at once. It will be a privilege to work with TED to steer the process of bringing great words and voices into the chambers of history.
“I have had the honour of speaking in various roles from keynotes to panelists to guest speaker roles on TV and online. I have also had the pleasure of participating as a TEDx speaker and more recently volunteering to help others and our local TEDx platform.
“I am the founder of womenshistorymonthlv.com of which coordinating speakers is at the heart of what we do. We raise money and organize the event annually. The event which launched in 2018 with 70 people has grown to over 500 attendees with a successful partnership with the city mayor and local governments and diverse communities.”
Ngozi will share the column with her partner, Okezue Bell. Both of them have collaborated in a number of STEM areas, the latest of which is in the sector of FemTech and Female Biohacking.
Okezue Bell is an artificial intelligence and biology developer. At 14 years old, he has been sponsored by companies to build brain controlled prosthetics, and generate electricity using cells. He’s also engaged in the cellular agriculture space, where he’s working with companies such as Aleph Farms and Perfect Day to build new products.