Official Biography

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Dr. Olivia Cook Howell serves as the Founder and CEO of OVA Consulting Firm, a globally minded company founded in July 2020 and based in Auburn, AL, which provides strategic services relevant to leadership, entrepreneurship, economic and business development and technology for institutions, nonprofit organizations, and government entities. Over the span of her career, Dr. Howell’s leadership has contributed significantly to the advancement of women in leadership and entrepreneurship through her strategic initiative development, scholarly publications, public speaking engagements, and premier grant writing skills. As a direct reflection of her impactful work, she secured the funding and led the establishment of the Miles College Women’s Business Center located in Fairfield, AL through a grant made possible by the U.S. Small Business Administration. This led to her company leading the efforts for the City of Birmingham’s 10.8-million-dollar Good Jobs Challenge Grant that was awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration.

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To celebrate her commitment to excellence, Dr. Howell has also received a number of fellowships and awards from local to international organizations such as the Auburn University Board of Trustees, Alabama Power Company, the American Political Science Association (APSA), the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA), Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Women’s Foundation of Alabama, the City of Birmingham’s Department of Innovation and Economic Opportunity, and The PhD Project by way of the KPMG Foundation, to name a few. Most recently, she was inducted into the 2022 Rural Leader’s Magazine Forty Under 40 Class and the Inaugural Thirty Under 30 Class for the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University where she serves as a board member of the Dean’s Advisory Board (DAB), the Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI), and the Harbert College of Business’ Women in Business Advisory Board.

 

Dr. Howell, a native of Auburn, AL, and a tri-alumna of Auburn University, holds a B.S. in Polymer and Fiber Engineering, and a minor in Spanish, a MPA (Master of Public Administration), and a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Public Policy. She is also an alumna of Pennsylvania State’s 2022 Anti-Racist Leadership Academy where she developed critical leadership competencies to inform policies and practices for people of color. Beyond her industry and academic accomplishments, Dr. Howell is an adjunct professor at Texas Southern University’s Executive MPA Program, the author of For the Love of Thirty: 30 inspirational life lessons for your journey towards purpose, and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. These endeavors have assisted her greatly in her work abroad, which includes international collaborations in Spanish speaking countries, Canada, Europe, and Africa.