Tolu Okitika
Honorary Research Associate
EMBA, GAICD, PMP, MPH, BSc
tolu.okitika@thekids.org.au
+61 8 6319 1000
Tolu is an Honorary Research Associate at The Kids with extensive scientific, administrative and program managerial experience in the field of infectious diseases and, in particular, malaria. In her current role, Tolu works with Professor Melissa Penny and members of the Global Disease Modelling team to provide operational support and strategic insights into global programs that apply mathematical modelling to investigate the impacts of drugs and novel vaccines to combat malaria.
Previously, Tolu was a senior program manager with operational leadership of projects that provided geospatial modelling insights to guide global health policy and funding decisions. She has previously led global expansion programs for research teams, supported or co-led $25M+ in research funding from government, philanthropic and corporate funding sources, and have led stakeholder engagement activities to expand collaborative networks with over 20 malaria endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Tolu has worked in the university Philanthropy, and consultancy settings and has also served in business advisory roles.
Education and Qualifications
- 2025: Global Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA), University of Sydney, Australia
- 2023: Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD)
- 2017: Project Management Professional (PMP)
- 2013: Master of Public Health (MPH), University of Washington, Seattle, USA
- 2008: Bachelor of Science (BSc), Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife, Nigeria
Projects
Endemic country capacity building and decentralization
Published research
A situational assessment of treatments received for childhood diarrhea in the Federal Republic of Nigeria
We assess progress towards improved case management of childhood diarrhea in Nigeria over a period of targeted health systems reform from 2013 to 2018. Individual and community data from three Demographic and Health Survey rounds are leveraged in a geospatial model designed for stratified estimation by venue of treatment seeking and State.
Official ERS technical standard: Global Lung Function Initiative reference values for static lung volumes in individuals of European ancestry
Measurement of lung volumes across the life course is critical to the diagnosis and management of lung disease. The aim of the study was to use the Global Lung Function Initiative methodology to develop all-age multi-ethnic reference equations for lung volume indices determined using body plethysmography and gas dilution techniques.