Agitu Wodajo '00
Consultant and Author
M.P.A ’00 (Humphrey School of Public Affairs)
Alumni Association Member
About A Purposeful Life book
A Purposeful Life is an inspirational memoir detailing the author Agitu Wodajo’s life and extraordinary accomplishments, from her upbringing in Ethiopia in the 60s to her immigration to the United States along with her children, traveling the world, and her commitment to the empowerment of women while raising five well accomplished children as a single mom. The NGOs she founded in both Ethiopia and the United States helped underprivileged women through services that build self-sufficiency, and policy-change advocacy that lift barriers. In Ethiopia, she played an instrumental role in the establishment of the first of its kind ministry of women’s affairs in 1991. She was one of the fifteen women who drafted the first of its kind national policy on Ethiopian women in 1992. In Minnesota, she participated in the drafting and testified at the Senate hearing of the bill that was enacted in August 2004, exempting foreign-qualified nurses in Minnesota from the CGFNS certification process. She also played a substantial role in the new rule that was officially adopted by the Minnesota Board of Barber and Cosmetologist Examiners on May 15, 2006, exempting hair braiders from state cosmetology licensing requirements. Agitu Wodajo (PhD) is the author of "The Secret to Finishing Well/Quest for Authentic Leadership”, and her recently released memoir “A Purposeful Life.” Her next book, titled “Building Healthy Marriage and Families/Prevention and Cure”, is currently in progress. Wodajo has two daughters who graduated from the U of M: Jalale Weber, who earned a B.A. in Architecture, and Bethel Biftu, who earned a B.A. in business administration from Carlson School of Management (Bocconi/Milan exchange student, MBA from Georgetown University).
Alumni Discount
15% off A Purposeful Life book when purchased from my website: www.agitu-consulting.com/buy-the-book. Use code "U o M" to redeem the offer!
About Agitu
Agitu Wodajo has more than thirty years of extensive experience in the areas of women empowerment, healthcare, community/economic development, and social policy. The non-profit organization she founded in Minnesta helped culturally and ethnically diverse immigrant women through services that build self-sufficiency, and policy-change advocacy that lift barriers. Her policy-change advocacy incudes and not limited to: She participated in the drafting and testified at the Senate hearing of the bill that was enacted in August 2004, exempting foreign-qualified nurses in Minnesota from the CGFNS certification process allowing them to practice nursing after fulfilling Minnesota’s Board of Nursing requirements. She also played a substantial role in the new rule that was officially adopted by the Minnesota Board of Barber and Cosmetologist Examiners on May 15, 2006, exempting hair braiders from state cosmetology licensing requirements.
She has received awards and recognitions from the governor of Minnesota, Metropolitan State University, the Department of Homeland Security, and KARE 11 News for her commitment to bringing about a positive change in the immigrant community of the Twin Cities metro area. She has travelled extensively for study tours, trainings, international conferences, and workshops, and has witnessed firsthand the need to address our shared problems. She now resides in Atlanta, Georgia where she spends her time writing and serving on a non-profit organization that she founded, Holistic Freedom International Inc. board as a president. She had Holistic Freedom International Inc. registered in Minnesota as well.
