Dr. OJ Oleka

Dr. O.J. Oleka is the Chief Executive Officer of the State Financial Officers Foundation (SFOF), a national organization dedicated to advancing fiscally responsible public policy, protecting taxpayer dollars, and promoting economic freedom in a free-market economy.

Born in the United States to Nigerian immigrant parents who arrived with little more than the clothes on their back, Dr. Oleka’s life story is a powerful testament to the American Dream. Through faith, hard work, opportunity, his family rose from poverty to prosperity and he has carried those values with him every phase of his career.

A lifelong advocate for conservative principles, Dr. Oleka has dedicated his career to public service and preserving America as a beacon of hope. He earned a Marketing degree from the University of Louisville, and an M.B.A. and Ph.D. in Leadership in Higher Education from Bellarmine University. His distinguished career includes serving as Deputy Treasurer of Kentucky, where he protected taxpayer dollars from fraud, defended private property rights, and helped the office earn national recognition for budget transparency. He later served as President of a statewide higher education association, successfully fighting government overreach during the COVID pandemic to keep campuses open, preserve thousands of jobs, and keep students learning.

A published op-ed contributor to The Wall Street Journal and author of the leadership devotional As It Is In Heaven, Dr. Oleka is a respected public speaker and thought leader on leadership, public policy, and conservative values.

Dr. Oleka resides in Kentucky, with his wife Jamie and their three children. Deeply committed to their faith, they serve as leaders in their local church.