SIRA 2025 Awardees

SIRA 2025 Winners

KEN COLLIER

Kenn Collier is a father, youth advocate and community leader who has turned unimaginable personal loss into a mission of healing, empowerment and systemic change.

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HUGH MOLOTSI

A visionary product and technology leader whose 30-year career has driven grassroots innovation inside some of the world’s largest companies and inspired countless intrapreneurs.

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LARA EZOBI & AYOWALE ALAO

Siblings and co-founders whose shared vision has transformed Serenity Health into a $100 million homecare leader in Chicago.

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EMIL EKIYO

Nigerian-born athlete-turned-social-entrepreneur whose journey from Lagos to Daytona Beach at age fifteen forged in him a lifelong belief in adaptation, perseverance, and the power of opportunity.

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MIKKA MOSBY

The pioneering CEO of Just Mikk Extensions whose decade-long leadership has built not only a thriving beauty brand but also a powerful platform for empowerment.

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Manny OHonme

A visionary philanthropist and social entrepreneur whose journey from selling bottled water as a nine-year-old in Lagos, Nigeria, to leading a global movement embodies the power of compassion and innovation.

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KENN COLLIER

Kenn Collier is a father, youth advocate and community leader who has turned unimaginable personal loss into a mission of healing, empowerment and systemic change.

View Profile
HUGH MOLOTSI

A visionary product and technology leader whose 30-year career has driven grassroots innovation inside some of the world’s largest companies and inspired countless intrapreneurs.

View Profile

LARA EZOBI & AYOWALE ALAO

Siblings and co-founders whose shared vision has transformed Serenity Health into a $100 million homecare leader in Chicago.

View Profile

EMIL EKIYO

Nigerian-born athlete-turned-social-entrepreneur whose journey from Lagos to Daytona Beach at age fifteen forged in him a lifelong belief in adaptation, perseverance, and the power of opportunity.

View Profile

MIKKA MOSBY

The pioneering CEO of Just Mikk Extensions whose decade-long leadership has built not only a thriving beauty brand but also a powerful platform for empowerment.

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Manny OHonme

A visionary philanthropist and social entrepreneur whose journey from selling bottled water as a nine-year-old in Lagos, Nigeria, to leading a global movement embodies the power of compassion and innovation.

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KEN COLLIER - HONOURARY AWARD – (BAOBAB)

Kenn Collier is a father, youth advocate, and community leader who has turned unimaginable personal loss into a mission of healing, empowerment, and systemic change. After losing his teenage son, Kenn Jr., and the boy’s mother to violence, Kenn chose not to retreat into silence but to transform his grief into purposeful action. He founded Futures Without Fear, a nonprofit that empowers justice-involved youth and grieving families to move beyond trauma and reclaim their future.

Through Futures Without Fear, Kenn has designed an ecosystem of healing-centered programs that seamlessly connect trauma recovery with leadership, education, and workforce development. From academic and life skills support through Future Ready U, to paid job placements and entrepreneurship exposure in Future Ready Workforce, to confidence-building and civic engagement in Future Ready Leaders, every aspect of his work reflects a deep belief in second chances and structured growth. At the heart of his movement is The Ready Room, a safe and nurturing space where youth and families process grief, develop emotional intelligence, and learn tools for long-term resilience.

In addition, Kenn is the founder of Men Grieve Too, a national movement advocating for male healing through storytelling, support circles, and public awareness—challenging the silence around grief and vulnerability in men.

Kenn’s work is deeply rooted in lived experience, and his unwavering commitment to community transformation continues to inspire. For his courageous leadership, healing innovation, and impact on hundreds of families across Atlanta and beyond, we are proud to present Kenn Collier with the 2025 Savvy Initiative Baobab Award.

HUGH MOLOTSI - SIRA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT – (KILIMANJARO)

Introducing Hugh Molotsi, a visionary product and technology leader whose 30-year career has driven grassroots innovation inside some of the world’s largest companies and inspired countless intrapreneurs. After earning a B.S. in Computer Engineering Technology from the University of Southern Mississippi and an M.S. in Computer Engineering from Santa Clara University, he spent 22 years at Intuit—rising to Engineering Fellow and Vice President of Innovation—where he led the launch of QuickBooks Enterprise and Intuit Payments, platforms now generating over $1 billion annually. He is co-author of The Intrapreneur’s Journey, a definitive guide to cultivating a culture of innovation in large organizations, and today he channels his passion for community building as founder and CEO of Ujama, a messaging platform that empowers neighborhoods to connect, collaborate, and help one another Hugh also serves on the boards of Barloworld and the Mozilla Corporation, is a past president of Fresh Lifelines for Youth, and has championed early-career development through organizations like All Star Code. For their contribution is pioneering enterprise innovation and community empowerment through technology, we’re proud to honor Hugh Molotsi with this year’s Savvy Initiative Kilimanjaro Award. Please join us in welcoming Hugh Molotsi to the stage.

EMIL EKIYO – SIRA PHILANTROPIC AWARD (NILE)

Introducing Emil Ekiyor, a Nigerian-born athlete-turned-social-entrepreneur whose journey from Lagos to Daytona Beach at age fifteen forged in him a lifelong belief in adaptation, perseverance, and the power of opportunity. A full football scholarship to the University of Central Florida showcased not only his athletic gifts but his leadership as team captain, propelling him to a six-year career in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, and Oakland Raiders. Yet Emil’s greatest impact began after the final whistle, when he founded InnoPower, a nonprofit accelerating growth in Black communities through entrepreneurship, talent development, and social-impact initiatives. He launched the groundbreaking Indy Biz Pass, a digital ecosystem linking minority businesses to vital resources, and created Advancing Equity Through Tech to bridge critical talent gaps in the technology sector. Twice named one of Indiana’s 250 Most Influential Leaders and honored with statewide civil-rights and community-impact awards, Emil now bridges continents and sectors, opening pathways for underrepresented entrepreneurs worldwide. For his unwavering commitment to uplift invisible talent and empower communities, we are proud to present Emil Ekiyor with this year’s Savvy Initiative Nile Award. Please join us in welcoming Emil Ekiyor to the stage  

MIKKA MOSBY - PHILANTROPIC AWARD (NILE)

Introducing Mikka Mosby, the pioneering CEO of Just Mikk Extensions whose decade-long leadership has built not only a thriving beauty brand but also a powerful platform for empowerment. Through her financial literacy workshops, she has coached over 300 community members, equipping them with skills in personal and business credit, budgeting, and wealth creation. Committed to youth development, Mikka offers free wig-making classes to high school students, reaching more than 3,000 aspiring cosmetologists in underserved neighborhoods and providing them with hands-on training and mentorship. As an accomplished grant writer, she has secured funding that underwrites these programs and fuels local initiatives aimed at breaking cycles of poverty. Her annual Circle of Excellence event, which sold out with over 350 attendees and raised $20,000, exemplifies her drive to create opportunities and support high school graduates. For their contribution is empowering thousands through financial education and free vocational training, we’re proud to honor Mikka with this year’s Savvy Initiative Nile Award. Please join us in welcoming Mikka Mosby to the stage.

MANNY OHONME - PHILANTROPIC AWARD – (NILE)

Introducing Manny Ohonme, a visionary philanthropist and social entrepreneur whose journey from selling bottled water as a nine-year-old in Lagos, Nigeria, to leading a global movement embodies the power of compassion and innovation. After winning his first pair of shoes in a missionary-organized basketball contest, Manny earned a scholarship to play college basketball in the United States, where he completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees In 2003, driven by the memory of that life-changing gift, he founded Samaritan’s Feet, which has since distributed over 9.4 million pairs of shoes in 109 countries and 560 U.S. cities, mobilizing more than 100,000 volunteers to restore dignity and create hope for children living in poverty As an award-winning speaker and author of the book Sole Purpose, Manny shares his message of empathy and empowerment at Fortune 500 boardrooms, national conferences, and school assemblies, inspiring audiences to walk a mile in another’s shoes and ignite positive change. For their contribution is transforming lives through acts of kindness and global service, we’re proud to honor Manny Ohonme with this year’s Savvy Initiative Nile Award. Please join us in welcoming Manny Ohonme to the stage.

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