Maame Kwaaba Stephens ’01 Selected for Eisenhower Fellowship

Maame Kwaaba Stephens ’01, a business leader based in Ghana, has been selected for the Eisenhower Fellowship 2021 Africa Program.

The Eisenhower Fellows Program spans across the globe, and is designed for professionals from all backgrounds and disciplines that seek to tackle big challenges, to better the world around them. In Fall 2021, Stephens will be among 25 fellows working on independent projects focused on the African continent. 

Stephens is a director with the Kaysens Group of companies, which includes fast-moving consumer goods, LPG (gas), hospitality, and real estate in Ghana. She has managed the company’s telecom business for the last 10 years as the general manager, leading the company to become one of the top authorized telecommunications dealers/distributors in Ghana.

Stephens previously worked as an Associate with General Electric’s Professional Management Development Program and as Assistant Brand Manager with Procter & Gamble, both in the United States, after graduating from business school. 

“I turned my passion—to travel and organize events—into a profit with Kwaaba Vacations, a destination management company, engaged in events management, activities, program logistics, tours, transportation, and conferencing in about 10 West African countries. I recognize tourism opportunities in Ghana and would like to take Ghana's tourism to another level,” says Stephens, who received a bachelor’s degree in economics at Oberlin, and an MBA at Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University. She served as an Oberlin College Class Trustee from 2001 to 2004, and continues to serve on the Oberlin Alumni Recruiting Network.

Her project seeks to preserve and promote Ghanaian and other African culture through fashion while promoting tourism.

Through the fellowship, Stephens will gain further access to subject matter experts in the industry, network with like-minded people, and also bounce ideas off them and other fellows. “The knowledge and experiences I gain will help me with the implementation of the project. I have always looked for opportunities to give back, and know my engagement in the Global Eisenhower Fellows network and beyond will be no different from my track record of giving back.” 

Stephens is founder of the Kwaaba Foundation; the Nkosuohemaa (Queenmother for Development) of Adeiso in the Eastern Region, Ghana; brand ambassador for the National Blood Service Ghana; board member of SOS-Herman Gmeiner International College; and a Rotarian. She supports health and community initiatives, and engages and empowers people to achieve their full potential. She instituted the Maame Kwaaba Stephens Scholarship, and initiated the first-ever nationwide blood drive with Rotary clubs in Ghana.