Angelina Okwuego
Angelina Okwuego is a seasoned real estate acquisition professional with over ten years of experience negotiating property rights for multi-billion-dollar construction projects. Currently serving as Real Estate Acquisition Supervisor at the New Jersey Department of Transportation, she specializes in acquiring fee takings, partial fee takings, easements, and commercial, industrial, and residential properties across the United States and abroad. Her role involves reviewing engineering documents, providing project design feedback, and fostering agreements with diverse property owners, ensuring the success of complex transportation initiatives.
A dedicated lifelong learner, Angelina is a Doctorate Candidate in Business Administration at Franklin University and holds an MBA from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Through her academic and professional experience, she has developed expertise in quantitative analysis techniques, including ANOVA, t-tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression using SAS. Her analytical skills complement her negotiation expertise, allowing her to approach projects with precision, strategic insight, and data-driven decision-making.
Angelina attributes her professional success to a strong work ethic developed from starting work at a young age and the guidance of mentors who emphasized initiative and fresh perspectives. She is passionate about empowering others to take control of their learning and development, believing that knowledge equals power. Honesty, integrity, and a sense of humor guide both her professional and personal life, shaping her approach to collaboration, leadership, and navigating the challenges of government real estate acquisition.
• Doctorate Candidate in Business Administration
• MBA
• Real Estate Appraiser Trainee
• Franklin University – Doctorate Candidate, Business Administration
• New Jersey Institute of Technology – Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Influential Women 2026
• Influential Women Network
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the way I was growing up, because I started working at a young age at 15, and me being able to develop that work ethic at a younger age helped me to continue with the work ethic throughout my career. Starting work early taught me the value of hard work and dedication, and that foundation has been instrumental in everything I've achieved professionally.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is that when you're looking for a new opportunity and someone asks, 'What can you bring to the table?', you let them know that you bring a fresh pair of eyes. This advice has helped me understand the value of bringing a new perspective and approach to any role or organization. My parents were also key mentors throughout my life - their hard work in their jobs and their strong work ethic always showed me that you have to be hardworking, and that example has guided me throughout my career.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
What I would tell young women is: educate yourself. You don't have to wait for anyone - do not rely on any significant other to help you in educating yourself. You have to take the initiative to educate yourself. And when you have knowledge, you have power, and when you have power, there's nothing that you cannot achieve. It's about taking control of your own learning and development, because that knowledge and power will open every door for you.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest challenge right now in my field, because it's real estate acquisition for a government, is that there's not enough representation of minorities in management and leadership roles. This lack of diversity at the leadership level is something that needs to be addressed in order to create more equitable opportunities and better representation throughout the industry.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty is the most important value to me - it's absolutely essential in both my work and personal life. And you also have to have a sense of humor. I believe that being honest in all your dealings and being able to laugh and not take yourself too seriously are crucial to navigating both professional challenges and personal relationships successfully.