Dr. Margaret Okodua, DNP, APRN, RN, FNP-BC, (A Nigerian American) Recognized for Excellence in Healthcare

Dr. Margaret Okodua, DNP, APRN, RN, FNP-BC, was inducted into the Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Dr. Okodua started her career as a banker, but later specialized in Nursing working in acute care hospital, and has garnered over two decades of nursing experience in public health, including over a decade of professional experience to establish herself as an expert of communicable disease. She has been serving as a PHN for the communicable disease program at WSCDC in the CDPH. She also specializes in community health, comprehensive adult medicine, women’s health, pediatrics, high-risk pregnancy, hospice, home health, and home nursing. Dr. Okodua’s latest position augments her over 10 years of experience in collaboratively handling and investigating various kinds of disease outbreaks including, but not limited to Burkholderia cepacia, Legionellosis, Shigellosis, Acute gastroenteritis, Meningitis, Elizabethkingia meningoseptica, Candida auris, Group A streptococcus, Group B streptococcus, West nile virus, Zika virus, Ebola, COVID-19, etc. Dr. Okodua is also an educator, who has precepted and mentored undergraduate, masters, and doctoral nursing students. She also engaged in educating the African community during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, and COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to embarking upon her professional journey, Dr. Okodua pursued her education and graduated with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Science in 1993 from Harry S. Truman College, Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 1999 from Chicago State University, a Master of Science degree in Nursing from North Park University in 2009, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Governors State University in Illinois. She is currently working on her Dissertation (PhD Public Health Epidemiology). Dr. Okodua is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner, a licensed Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), and a licensed Professional Registered Nurse (RN). In pursuit of academic excellence, she was recognized and inducted into Sigma Theta Tau, and Golden Key International Honor Societies. Dr. Okodua has received several awards (NANNNA, NAUSDA, Xavier P. Smith, Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s Collaboration Award: Ebola Response Team, Best Team Award: CDPH Public health accreditation).

Dedicated to civic advocacy, Dr. Okodua has flourished as the 10th National President of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America (NANNNA), current President of the Nigerian-Illinois Nurses Association (NINA), Vice-Chair / Vice President of Illinois Nurses Association (INA: bargaining unit – city of Chicago), member of the National Assoc. of Uromi Sons & Daughters-USA (NAUSDA), and a member of Uromi Sons and Daughters of Illinois-Chicago (USDIL). She is the Founder of Magnificent Institute of Health (MIH), Co-Founder/Ex-president of the Akomu Esan Women Association, USA (Not-for-Profit) helping women and children, Dr. Okodua acknowledges Nursing shortage in USA, and will also like to see Nurses in leadership role and at the decision-making table. In the future, Dr. Okodua plans to retire from public health and educate the next generation of healthcare workers especially, Nurses in America.