Kobe Bryant once said, “The true challenge is finding what comes next (after basketball) and what you love to do every bit as much and with as much passion.” So, I wouldn’t even say that purpose was ever lost, it just continued to emerge. Basketball got me here.
Meet Dr. Oby Nwabuzor
Dr. Oby Nwabuzor is a first-generation Nigerian American leader working at the intersection of public health, real estate development, and systems innovation.
She serves as Director of Social Drivers of Health Strategy at one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems, where she leads enterprise-wide efforts to reduce gaps in life expectancy and wellness for underserved communities. Her work focuses on scalable strategies in affordable housing, food security, and employment—positioning the system as a national leader in addressing the non-clinical drivers that shape health outcomes.
Dr. Nwabuzor is also the founder of Envision Growth, a mission-driven real estate development firm that integrates health, design, and economic opportunity to support community-centered development in neighborhoods facing long-standing economic and health challenges. Her work spans early-stage commercial projects, single-family home revitalization, and the development of workforce housing—all with a focus on long-term neighborhood resilience.
Her public health leadership has helped secure over $1.7 million in funding to expand SNAP access, support healthy food retail, and improve walkability across Wisconsin. In 2022, she was appointed by the governor to the Wisconsin Public Health Council, where she contributes to statewide health strategy and policy.
She serves on the boards of the Malaika Early Learning Center and the Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation for the City of Milwaukee, underscoring her commitment to early childhood success and neighborhood revitalization.
Dr. Nwabuzor has been recognized with numerous honors, including Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and Executive to Watch, the Wisconsin Law Journal’s Diversity in Business Award, the UNCF Milwaukee Mastermind Honor, and the MCW Graduate School’s Underrepresented Scholar Award.
She holds a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in Applied Public Health Practice and Leadership from the Medical College of Wisconsin and an MBA in Business Strategy from Cardinal Stritch University. She also earned a Certificate in Commercial Real Estate from Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business and is an alumna of the ACRE Program, Harvard Business School’s Young American Leaders Program, and the Urban Land Institute’s Health Leaders Network.
More than a title or role, she sees herself simply as a vessel.