Her Story
About Lakeysha
Lakeysha Sowunmi is an impact-driven leader, advocate, and community builder dedicated to creating opportunities that strengthen individuals, families, and communities. A U.S. Navy veteran and accomplished leader in affordable housing, resident services, youth development, and community impact, Lakeysha brings a unique perspective rooted in service, leadership, and purpose.
Throughout her career, she has championed initiatives that expand access to education, financial empowerment, wellness, workforce development, and community resources. She is passionate about building systems that do more than serve people—they create pathways for people to thrive.
Known for her ability to connect vision with action, Lakeysha continues to use her voice, leadership, and lived experience to inspire others and create meaningful change.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lakeysha
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to resilience, consistency, and a genuine commitment to serving others. I’ve learned that success isn’t just about the positions you hold or the accomplishments on your résumé, it’s about the impact you make and the people you help along the way.
My journey has taught me to embrace challenges, stay curious, and keep moving forward even when the path isn’t clear. I’ve also been fortunate to have mentors, colleagues, family, and community around me who have challenged and encouraged me to grow.
Most importantly, I’ve never been afraid to reinvent myself. I believe every season of my career has prepared me for the next, and I try to lead with purpose, authenticity, and a willingness to create opportunities for others as I continue to grow.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is “Don’t be afraid to outgrow the room you’re in.” Growth requires knowing when it’s time to stretch beyond what is comfortable, take a risk, and step into opportunities that may feel bigger than you.
I’ve also learned that you don’t have to have every answer before you take the next step. Trust your experience, know your value, and be willing to learn along the way. Most importantly, build a career that is meaningful to you, not just one that looks successful to everyone else.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice is to know your value, use your voice, and don’t wait for permission to lead. You belong in the room, even when you are the youngest person or the only woman at the table.
Be intentional about building relationships, finding mentors, and learning the business, not just your specific role. Ask questions, take on challenges that stretch you, and don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself.
Most importantly, don’t feel pressured to have your entire career figured out. Your path will evolve. Embrace the pivots, learn from every experience, and remember that your success becomes even more meaningful when you use it to create opportunities for the women coming behind you.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in affordable housing, particularly in resident services, is the reliance on unsustainable and fractured funding models. Programs such as eviction prevention, mental health support, food security, workforce development, and financial empowerment are essential to resident stability, yet many providers must piece together short-term grants and philanthropic funding to sustain them.
At the same time, demand for these services continues to grow while staff capacity remains limited. Housing providers are increasingly being asked to fill gaps created by underfunded social safety-net systems, placing additional pressure on already stretched teams. We also have to balance the cost of delivering comprehensive services with the responsibility of preserving long-term housing affordability.
I see an enormous opportunity to change this model. Resident services should be viewed not as an add-on, but as an integral component of the affordable housing ecosystem. We need more sustainable funding, stronger cross-sector partnerships, better use of data, and greater investment in programs that demonstrate measurable outcomes.
When we invest in residents, we are not only improving individual lives we are strengthening communities and creating healthier, more stable housing environments. That is the opportunity I’m most excited about.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that matter most to me are integrity, service, resilience, and authenticity. I believe in doing what is right even when no one is watching, leading with purpose, and treating people with dignity and respect.
Service is especially important to me. Whether I’m working with residents, colleagues, community partners, or the next generation of leaders, I want my work to leave people and communities better than I found them.
I also value resilience. My career and life have taught me that challenges are not always roadblocks—they can be opportunities to grow, adapt, and become stronger. And finally, I believe in being authentic. I want to lead as myself, bring my full perspective to the table, and create space for others to do the same.
Ultimately, I want my work to have purpose beyond a title and my success to create opportunities for others.
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