Kola A. Akindele is the Senior Director of Community and Government Relations at UMass Medical School. He is responsible for developing strategic relationships between UMMS and government and community institutions and organizations, especially in the Worcester region. Among his key responsibilities is to manage the institution’s multi-departmental public health collaboration with the Worcester Division of Public Health. He interfaces regularly with the local community on behalf of the medical school, including by serving on a variety of nonprofit boards in the Worcester area. In addition, he leads institution-wide efforts to promote community volunteerism and service by members of the UMMS community.
He has extensive knowledge in public policy, public affairs and community relations. Prior to his current role he served as community relations manager in the department of community and government alliances at Hartford Hospital. In that role he oversaw Hartford Hospital’s community relations and community benefit initiatives and programs. He was responsible for helping to build strategic relationships and partnerships with key community stakeholders in order to ensure community benefit programs met community needs and aligned with Hartford Hospital’s community health priorities and strategic initiatives.
Kola received his B.A. in economics and political science from UMass-Boston; a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law; and an M.S. in health informatics and management and certificate in health policy from UMass-Lowell. He lives in Worcester with his wife and two sons and frequented both the Lincoln Street and Ionic Ave. Boys Club as a young boy.