Dr. Winnie Koko is a special education leader, nonprofit founder, and advocate for educational equity with over twelve years of experience supporting students with disabilities across international and U.S. educational systems. She also brings more than five years of experience in special education and civil rights law review and implementation in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where she works to ensure compliance, access, and equity for all learners, especially for historically underserved learners including learners with disabilities.
Dr. Koko holds a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education with concentrations in English, Literature, and Information Technology from Maseno University in Kenya; a Master’s degree in Special Education (Moderate Disabilities) from Bridgewater State University, Boston Massachusetts; and a Doctorate in Curriculum, Teaching, Learning, and Leadership from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Her academic and professional journey reflects a deep commitment to inclusive education, transformative leadership, and systems-level change.
She is also the Founder and Executive Director of this nonprofit organization, which is dedicated to expanding educational access, mentorship, and holistic support for deaf and hard-of-hearing girls in rural communities across Kenya. Through Elimisha Binti, Dr. Koko works to dismantle barriers to education and create pathways for girls with disabilities to thrive academically, socially, and economically.
Beyond her professional roles, Dr. Koko is a mother of two, a sister, a friend, and a follower of Christ Jesus. Her faith anchors her work in compassion, service, and hope.
Raised in a poor rural community in Kenya in the early 1990s, Dr. Koko experienced firsthand the challenges faced by vulnerable children growing up without adequate protection, mentorship, or opportunity. Those formative experiences continue to shape her vision: a just and equitable world where every child—regardless of disability or circumstance—has access to quality education, dignity, and the support needed to flourish.