Staff

An exciting and challenging part of the study abroad experience is daily life outside the academic realm. Students are encouraged to integrate into the local community, explore their interests, and immerse themselves as deeply as possible into the local culture. At the same time, NYU housing provides a community of support to our students via on-site staff, as well as students sharing their experiences as they acclimate to Accra.

The student affairs staff is responsible for assisting students with daily issues to crisis support. The staff is trained to deal with day-to-day problems that many students face while studying abroad. Utmost discretion will be used in dealing with your case. Via the Community Resource Assistants students are afforded both formal and informal linkages into local peer networks, and provided with access to peers who can answer their questions.

Local staff organize a number of activities with and for students. The objective of these activities is to help students to become an active part of the NYU Accra community and experience Ghanaian life in interesting, fun, and profound ways. To find out exactly what is going on during the semester, keep an eye on the Calendar of Events and speak with local staff.

NYU Accra Director, Chiké Frankie Edozien

Prof. Chiké Frankie Edozien, Director

Chiké Frankie Edozien is the Director of NYU Accra. He directed the Institute’s Ghana based ‘Reporting Africa’ program from 2008 to 2019. He is a journalist who honed his skills writing about government, health and cultural issues for a variety of publications. He is the author of the 2017 book Lives of Great Men, a Lambda Literary Award winner. ‘Lives’ is an exploration of the lives of contemporary LGBTQ men and women on the African continent and in the diaspora. “Shea Prince” was shortlisted for the 2018 Gerald Kraak Human Rights Award and his “Last Night in Asaba” was shortlisted again in 2019 for the Gerald Kraak and was part of the book ‘As You Like It’ earning him a second Lambda award in 2019. His “Forgetting Lamido” was also anthologized in Safe House. His work has appeared in The Times (UK), Vibe magazine, Time Magazine, Transitions Magazine, Out Traveler, Blackaids.org, The Advocate, Quartz, New York Times, Jalada, Atlas Obscura and more. Edozien was awarded New York University’s Martin Luther King, Jr Faculty Award in 2017 for excellence in teaching, community building, social justice advocacy and leadership.

Edozien was an award-winning New York Post reporter for 15 years, and its City Hall Reporter from 1999-2008 where he was the lead writer on legislative affairs. He covered crime, courts, labor issues, human services, public health and politics, reporting from around the country and abroad for the paper.

In 2001, he co-founded the AFRican Magazine and served as the editor-in-chief. He has traveled around the world reporting on the impact of HIV/AIDS particularly among Africans and is a 2008 Kaiser Foundation fellow for Global Health Reporting. He is a contributor to the Arise News Network where he reports weekly on issues in sub-Saharan Africa.

Edozien holds a BA from NYU’s journalism school and a selection of his broadcast, print and media appearances work is available on www.edozien.net.

Patricia Twum, Assistant Director of Administration and Finance

Patricia is the Assistant Director of Administration and Finance. She graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree form the University of Cape-Coast.

She also has an MBA in Finance from University of Lincoln (UK) and is a Chartered Member of Chartered Institute of Bankers (GH).

Prior to joining NYU Accra, Patricia had worked with the Ghana Civil Aviation as the Assistant Internal Auditor; University of Ghana Finance office as an Accounting Assistant; Mponua Rural Bank as Assistant Accountant; Prudential Bank as Banking Operations Officer and Morgan Group of Companies as Business Development and Assistant Human Resource Manager.

As Assistant Director of Administration and Finance, her duties include direct responsibility for all financial and budget operations, human resources, facilities management, technology and collaborates with legal teams in Ghana and the US.

Pat loves to read in her leisure hours. She is married with three children

Nicholas N.A Okai,PhD., Assistant Director for Academic Programs

Nicholas Nii A. Okai, is a political scientist and a certified ADR practitioner. He worked as a planning analyst at the Ghana National Development Planning Commission, during the roll-out of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II). He has several years of experience in planning and executing study abroad programs with the Aya Centre (located in Accra-Ghana), where he worked for several years with American students from various universities coming to Ghana.

He was an adjunct faculty member at the Institute of African Studies (History and Politics section), University of Ghana, where he obtained his B.A, Mphil and PhD degrees in political science. Nick also has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in General Management from the University of South Wales, UK; and an Executive Master’s degree in Alternative Dispute Resolution, awarded by the Institute of Paralegal Training and Leadership Studies (IPLS), Ghana.

Prior to joining NYU Accra, he was the Head of e-learning at the prestigious Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC), where he designed and taught courses on the Centre’s MA Conflict, Peace and Security programs to students from various countries. He was also once the Head of KAIPTC’s International Institutions program, and together with other researchers, conducted several studies in ECOWAS countries for the Centre and its partners.

Nick Nii is currently the Assistant Director for Academic Programs at NYU Accra.

Marian Ansa-Otu, Program Manager of Student Services

Marian is the Programs Manager, Student Services for the NYU Accra Program. She obtained her Bachelor of Education Degree in Social Sciences from the University of Cape-Coast, and continued at the University of Ghana, where she obtained her Masters Degree in Population Studies.

Prior to joining NYU Accra, Marian had the opportunity of working with International Organizations such as Church World Service, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees where she worked as a Caseworker Assistant and Protection Counselor respectively. She also worked with WISE (Women’s Initiative for Self Empowerment), an organization that provides counseling and psychosocial support to survivors of domestic violence. At WISE, she served as the Schools Outreach Coordinator, and Manager for Volunteers and Interns.

She joined NYU Accra with a background in Education and Counseling. As the Programs Manager for Student Services, Marian manages all aspects of student life including staffing, logistics, orientation, cultural programming, community standards, health and wellness, housing, community development, diversity and inclusion, and special programming (J-Term, Intercession and Summer Programs) at the site, as well as interfacing with Administrators in New York and other Global sites. Besides working, Marian loves to dance, listen to music, watch movies and write short stories. She is married with two sons.

Christopher Amissah, Assistant Facilities Manager, Facilities and Security

Chris is the Assistant Manager, Facilities and Security at NYU Accra. He assists in managing NYU Accra's facilities, mainly the students' dorm and the academic center by calling and coordinating with NYU Accra's property management company and landlords to keep the facilities in top shape at all times.

He also responds to all security maintenance needs in all NYU Accra facilities, by calling and coordinating with NYU Accra's security facility vendors and technicians, while assisting in managing onsite security guards as well.

Chris graduated from the University of Ghana with a Bachelor's in Information Studies. He loves to listen to music and watch movies. He is looking forward to helping you have great experience in Ghana outside the classroom while you accustom yourself to Accra and Ghana as a whole.

Gifty Affreh, Assistant Internship/Community Engagement Coordinator

Gifty is presently the Community Engagement Coordinator for NYU Accra. She develops and coordinates a vibrant community engagement portfolio for NYU Accra. She furnishes leadership in the undertaking and execution of a tenable community engagement strategy for the site as well as in the management of the day-to-day community engagement programs. Gifty values dynamism in perspectives and uses them as inputs to guiding actions and decisions in community engagements.

She obtained her Masters degree in Economic Policy Management at the University of Ghana and her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

She loves nature and her musical tastes are eclectic in the genres of jazz, classical, highlife, blues, soul, contemporary instrumentals and palm wine music.

Sharon Agbemenya, Academic & Operations Assistant

Sharon is an Administrative and Library Assistant at NYU Accra. She manages the Library and provides support for all aspects of the program especially facilitating Academic field trips and
course readings.

Sharon obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Spanish from the University of Ghana, Legon. She loves to swim, listen to music, read, cook and travel.

Caithlin Adwoa Mpeanim Wereko, Assistant Finance & Operations Coordinator

Caithlin is an Assistant Finance & Operations Coordinator at NYU Accra.

Caithlin obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Linguistics from the University of Cape Coast. She loves to read, travel and listen to music.

George Addai, Community Resource Assistant and Administrative Assistant

George is also a Community Resource Assistant and Administrative Assistant at NYU Accra. He lives at the NYU Accra residence with students and acts as a first point of call for students on cross-cultural adjustment issues, providing information and support as necessary. He is in charge of designing the site’s newsletter Atumpan) which is a means by which NYU Accra communicates with itsstudents and others who are a part of the NYU community.

He obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. With a previous working experience as an IT Support Engineer with Ostec IT and Liranz Ltd, he offers IT advise as and when necessary.

George loves to code, read, listen to podcasts on diverse topics and watch movies.

Berlinder Wobriba-Prah, Community Resource Assistant and Administrative Assistant

Berlinder is a Community Resource Assistant and an Administrative Assistant at NYU Accra. She lives with students in the residential facilities and acts as first point of al for students on the cross-cultural adjustment issues, providing information and support when necessary. In addition, she provides support for all aspects of the program and extracurricular activities.

Berlinder obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Sciences (Economics with Sociology) from the University of Cape Coast.

Berlinder loves to read, listen to music, cook, travel and she is also a social media enthusiast. She is looking forward to helping students have a smooth transition into the Ghanaian community.

Delali Kudu, Nurse

Delali Kudu, the NYU Accra Nurse looks forward to working with you in Accra and assisting you with health and safety issues so that you enjoy your time here, academically as well as socially.

She has an office at Church Crescent students' residence with set hours: Mondays 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Thursdays from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. In addition she will be on-call for medical emergencies, referrals and assistance.

She is a graduate from the Central University, Ghana and a critical care registered nurse. She also works as a full time nurse with the neonatal intensive care unit of the Nyaho Medical Center.

Dr. Joana Kyei, NYU Accra Clinical Psychologist

Joana provides counseling services to NYU Accra students. Her office hours are Tuesdays at 7:00pm, and she sees students by appointment. Joana graduated with a Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA.

She looks forward to helping you address your psychological needs and concerns by providing services that will enhance your general well being and academic performance.

Payal Batra, New York Site Representative

Study Away Administator

Phone: 212-998-4433

Email: pb2800@nyu.edu