TORONTO, Oct. 25, 2021 – Today, Onome Ako, CEO of Action Against Hunger, has been named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network (WXN).
The announcement was made today as part of 2021 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award, which spans the private, public and not-for-profit sectors and recognizes outstanding women across Canada for their accomplishments as agents of change and for their ability to inspire and engage future leaders.
“When I look at this year’s winners, I see a group of radically authentic women who remind us all of what it means to stand up with courage, for ourselves and those around them,” said Sherri Stevens, CEO of WXN. “By recognizing and celebrating the strength, fearlessness, resilience and heart these women demonstrate, we can inspire more of the same in generations to come.”
“After another year of uncertainty, during which all leaders faced a series of challenges, it is an honour to be recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100,” says Action Against Hunger CEO Onome Ako. “For me, being a female leader is about the WE. It is about representing and building community rather than the self, and I thank WXN for the opportunity to elevate one another. Building a community of strong women leaders is crucial, especially now. With global hunger on the rise, it is vital to recognize that women can not only lead the fight against global hunger, but that we can’t end global hunger without us.”
Ako began her tenure as CEO of Action Against Hunger Canada in August of this year and brings with her over 15 years of experience in international development. She also brings her passion for community led approaches to address one of the most fundamental and basic human rights—the right to food—through fighting hunger and malnutrition. Ako has led initiatives in more than 15 countries with organizations including World Vision Canada, AfricaRecruit – a program of the Commonwealth and UNESCO – Regional Bureau for Education in Africa. She holds a B.A in English from the Obafemi Awolowo University Nigeria, an M.A in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University Nigeria and an M.Sc. in Management of NGOs and Social Policy from the London School of Economics. She is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH) and member of the advisory committee for the Centennial College International Development program. She was named to the 2020 Canadian Women in Global Health list.
Past award winners include some of Canada’s most iconic women: The Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine, the first African-Canadian woman elected to the House of Commons; Melissa Grelo, co-host of CTV’s The Social; Dr. Shawna Pandya, scientist-astronaut candidate; Michele Romanow, tech entrepreneur and venture capitalist; Dr. Roberta Bondar, astronaut; Arlene Dickinson, chief executive officer, Venture Communications; Michaëlle Jean, former governor general of Canada; Heather Reisman, founder and CEO, Indigo Books & Music; and Susan Aglukark, award-winning musician.
For more information on WXN’s Top 100 Awards and a full list of winners, please visit
https://wxnetwork.com/page/2021Top100AwardWinners
About Action Against Hunger
Action Against Hunger is a global humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger.
We save the lives of severely malnourished children while helping communities become self-sufficient. Recognized as a world leader in the fight against malnutrition, Action Against Hunger has pursued its vision of a world without hunger for almost four decades, combating hunger in emergency situations of conflict, natural disaster, and chronic food insecurity. With more than 8,000 staff in nearly 50 countries, our programs in nutrition, food security, livelihoods, water, sanitation, and hygiene, reach more than 20 million people each year.
Action Against Hunger is a Canadian registered charitable organization.
Charity Registration Number: 833634678RR0001