Oyana Lusk ’09: Making Her Mark in Africa

What is your name and your current role? 
My name is Oyana Lusk and I’m currently the director of climate at KOKO Networks, based in Nairobi, Kenya. I focus on raising climate financing through carbon markets. KOKO Networks generates carbon credits through its operations, which are sold to profitable companies, typically in the global north, that are looking to decarbonize their operations and value chains. Prior to my role as director of climate, I served as chief of staff to the CEO for one year.

You have spent a lot of time in Africa, what keeps drawing you there?
It's really East Africa, and specifically Nairobi, Kenya, that keeps pulling me back. Nairobi is an incredibly lively city and is a wonderful place to live, work, and play. The city is cosmopolitan and has a burgeoning startup ecosystem at the intersection of impact and innovation. I left Kenya in 2019 to pursue business school in the US, but found myself back in Nairobi immediately after graduating in 2022. I’d say it’s the community in Nairobi that really sets the city apart. The Kenyan people are warm and welcoming, and the vibrant expatriate community makes it easy to make lifelong friends with whom I share a value system for international adventure and making the world a better place. In addition to the urban landscape, the region offers endless opportunities to explore: from safari to mountains, to the white sand beaches (I always tell people that the coast is Kenya’s best-kept secret). And of course, the weather is a 10/10. Life on the equator is where it’s at!

How did your time at OES prepare you for your professional career?
I really believe it was all about the people and the community. My classmates were super smart and ambitious, and that definitely rubbed off on me. When you’re around people who are aiming high, it makes you feel like you can do the same. Also, the professors and OES staff were always available to provide their support for whatever I wanted to do. At OES, it was “cool to be smart,” and the atmosphere of curiosity and constant learning made me excited and eager to explore new opportunities and horizons, and also made me feel capable of doing so.

In terms of my career, I am proud of what I’ve achieved to date, but when I look back on it, I see my career as just a series of individual steps, where each step made me more confident to tackle the next. Fortunately, OES prepared me well and I made my way to Harvard Business School and Tesla’s energy team. I don't think I would have even aspired to either of these opportunities, let alone achieved them, had it not been for the OES “launch pad.”

Do you have any advice for our seniors who are getting ready to graduate? 
First of all, congratulations! Make sure you take time to celebrate this milestone, because it’s truly an achievement. As you prepare to enter a new chapter of your lives, embrace the unknown! It can be daunting, but it’s okay not to have your entire life mapped out right now. You’re going to change your mind about what you want to do with your life a hundred times, and that's OK, in fact, it’s encouraged! Take risks, explore diverse paths, and don’t fret over not having all the answers today. I’m sure OES has given you the same foundation of learning and community that it gave me, and this will really help in college or wherever you find yourself next. You’ll all achieve great things. Just embrace the uncertainty with curiosity—you’ve got this!

Is there one particular moment from your travels in Africa you will always remember?
This continent is so incredibly rich and diverse, and over the last decade, I have traveled to more than 15 countries on the continent—either for work or pleasure, or a little bit of both. And yet, I feel I’ve only just scratched the surface. Some of my strongest memories were during my early days after moving to Africa, when the culture shock was the most intense! I spent a week-long homestay with a substance-farming family of four in 2014 in rural Malawi. Despite facing challenges, such as lack of electricity and running water, this family’s positivity, generosity, and hospitality were truly inspiring. I’ll never forget the simple yet profound gesture of receiving a whole loaf of bread for breakfast each morning. It made me feel like I was among a group of people who had an unwavering hopeful outlook on life, and they never took anything for granted. It was really moving, and made me more grateful for the privileges I’ve been offered.

What is your favorite memory from OES? 
It’s tough to choose just one favorite memory from OES, given all the unique programs and opportunities the school offered. Whether it was the three-day backpacking trips, college-prep camp, Winterim, or Service Day, each experience was unique and pushed the boundaries of traditional education.

One standout memory for me was during my junior year Winterim trip to Costa Rica. While there, I found myself leading a choreographed dance performance of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” as a representation of American pop culture during a cultural exchange. It was equal parts silly and embarrassing, but undeniably memorable. Looking back, I realize how much these experiences outside the classroom enriched my education during such a formative time. Plus, I'm pretty sure this trip fueled my desire to explore internationally, which is something I'm grateful for now.

I also have to give an honorable mention to senior year Winterim, when we went to Disneyland and other theme parks to measure roller coaster acceleration while wearing “accelerometer vest packs” on our chests. Sure, calculating velocity afterward was less exciting, but I'll never forget the funny looks and interrogations we got from Disneyland security. This was certainly more engaging than your standard high school physics class!

Oyana is pictured here (at left) with her sister Maya (class of 2012), climbing Mt. Kenya.