Emmy Afebuame

Background

Emmy brings extensive experience across financial administration, operational coordination, and organisational systems. Prior to joining Tilting the Lens, Emmy gained valuable experience in administrative and operational leadership roles requiring strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and cross-functional collaboration, most recently as Office Manager at Sustainability West Midlands.

Alongside her professional work, Emmy is a Gender and Disability scholar, and her academic journey is deeply informed by her work at Tilting the Lens. Following an MBA and a Master’s degree in Management, Strategy, and Leadership, she is currently pursuing a PhD in Gender and Entrepreneurship from a disability-informed lens within the African context. Her research explores the compounded barriers faced by women entrepreneurs with disabilities in Nigeria, bridging her interests in systemic equity, community-centred frameworks, and inclusive economic participation. This work both shapes and is shaped by Tilting the Lens’ approach to human-centred design and systems change.

Emmy is also actively engaged in volunteering across Nigeria and the United Kingdom. She is a 2026 UK Ambassador for The ONE Campaign, advocating for policy change on global poverty reduction, gender equity, and inclusive development financing. She also supports diaspora-focused initiatives through coordination, reporting, and stakeholder engagement with the Global Diaspora Confederation, an organisation backed by UN-IOM.

Role at Tilting the Lens

As Senior Executive Assistant – Finance, Emmy plays an integral role in ensuring internal functions run smoothly, efficiently, and in alignment with the company’s mission. She leads on financial management, budgeting, invoicing, and reporting, while also supporting HR, governance, and strategic planning.

Emmy’s ability to balance detail-oriented financial oversight with agility and strategic thinking has enhanced financial visibility and organisational resilience as Tilting the Lens continues to scale its global impact. She works closely with the CEO and wider team to ensure that systems, processes, and resources align with the mission and long-term goals.

At the heart of her role is a commitment to building environments where clarity and thoughtful systems enable diverse talent to thrive and meaningful impact to be sustained.

“Joining Tilting the Lens was by design, and it has been the best path I could be on at this point in time. Being able to put structures in place that strengthen the organisation and shape strategy is an opportunity I will never take for granted.”

In Emmy’s words:

What has been your highlight so far at Tilting the Lens?

Joining Tilting the Lens and being trusted to put structures in place that strengthen the company has been incredibly fulfilling. Also, less than a year ago, I didn’t imagine that I would be carrying out academic research so deeply impacted by the work Tilting the Lens does. Seeing how this impact is shaping and will continue to drive pioneering, disability-informed research within the African context has been both grounding and energising. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to strategy while also supporting day-to-day excellence.

The best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?

You don’t need to be the loudest voice in the room to lead. Consistency, credibility, and care will speak for you over time.

What change do you want to see in the world?

My humanitarian work has taught me that exclusion is rarely accidental… It is often the result of systems that were never designed to be inclusive. I want to see a world where policies, organisations, and economies are built with intersectionality at their core, particularly for women and Disabled people, so that access, dignity, and opportunity are not negotiated but expected.