2025 February Mag
February 2025 Mag
Reporting directly to the CEO, Abiola is the Executive Vice-President at Kellen where she leads the Global Finance and Accounting operations including Business Strategy, Operational P/L Management, Financial Reporting, Internal/External Audit, Regulatory Compliance, and Financial Planning and Analysis. She also has oversight for the Finance and Accounting operations of the company’s more than 130 managed trade associations portfolio.
Abiola is a results-driven Strategic Finance Executive with over 30 years of experience and has had a broad range of increasing responsibilities in various complex industries. In addition to her P&L, Strategy & Financial background, she has extensive regulatory & compliance experience with Federal & State agencies. She possesses excellent leadership qualities – a highly effective communicator with a proven track record of driving operational efficiencies through business process re-engineering, establishing strong internal controls, performance measurement metrics, and building long-term relationships. Abiola has a general disposition characterized by high ethical standards and integrity, a desire to add value, and a commitment to delivering excellence.
Prior to joining Kellen, Abiola served as CFO, The National Black MBA Association(NBMBAA) from 2014-2020. As the Controller for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a $1b NFP entity, she managed the General Accounting function, Endowment Fund Pooled Trust Portfolio ($450m), and the Deferred Gifts Annuity Program ($150m). At the Chicago Housing Authority, she served as the Director of Finance for the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program and a member of the Executive Team , and under their leadership, the agency was transformed from a troubled status to a high performer status. Prior experience in public accounting with leading international firm – Deloitte & Touché and a variety of industries – non-profit, healthcare, energy, housing, and professional services.
Abiola has over 10 years of experience providing support and engaging with governing boards and various committees, including Audit, Budget and Finance, Endowment Fund, and Strategic Operational Plan. She served as a member of several Enterprise-wide committees which provided management oversight over important functions at ELCA – and chaired the Policy Review Committee and Financial Systems Steering Committee. She has successfully managed and built relationships with Board Members, external constituents, auditors, financial institutions, and state regulatory bodies. While at NBMBAA, she facilitated and presented at the monthly Audit and Finance Committee meetings and reported quarterly financial results at Board meetings.
Abiola earned a Bachelor of Science degree with Honors in Accounting from Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria, and MBA with Concentrations in Financial Management and Control from DePaul University in Chicago. Abiola is a Certified Public Accountant, Chartered Global Management Accountant, and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.
Abiola served as Board Treasurer for the Susan G. Komen Chicago from 2015-2016 and Advisory Council Member, Susan G. Komen Atlanta from 2016-2018. She was selected as a Finance Advisory Committee Member for the City of Naperville School District 203 in Illinois, U.S.A from 2007-2010 and appointed to the Governmental Executive Committee, Women’s Executive Committee with the Illinois CPA Society in 2014.