College of Human Sciences colleagues remember late HDFS professor and researcher Dr. Katrina Akande

Dr. Katrina Akande, a devoted professor, researcher and colleague within the College of Human Sciences’ Department of Human Development and Family Science and Extension specialist since 2016, will be remembered for the profound impact she had on her students and colleagues after passing away on April 29 at the age of 55.

Some of those who worked closely with Akande during her eight years in the College of Human Sciences at Auburn University share fond professional memories of Akande’s tenacious spirit, dedication to her work and research, and her willingness to speak her mind on things she felt passionate about.

Dr. Angela Wiley, department head of Human Development and Family Science, stepped into this leadership role in 2017. Along the way, she mentored Akande to help her succeed and spoke on the impact she made in the HDFS department during her time in the college.

“You never wondered what Katrina thought about something because she spoke her mind,” Wiley said. “While she spoke her truth with compassion, she never failed to advocate when she felt it necessary. She was also curious and influenceable, with an open mind and a willingness to learn. Katrina was gifted in many ways, including that she was a bridge-builder and an encourager. She genuinely cared about her colleagues, never failing to check in on someone having a hard time. She brought people in the department together, at times finding middle ground and acting as a mediator of contrasting opinions. I will miss Katrina’s optimism and her caring spirit.”

Akande earned a master's degree in community counseling from Eastern Kentucky University, and a doctorate in Family Sciences from the University of Kentucky.

In addition, Akande published extensively on parenthood, fatherhood, racial socialization, and black fathers. As a member of the National Council on Family Relations since 2017, she was a frequent contributor to NCFR's Family Focus, and was a frequent presenter and participant at NCFR annual conferences.

Dr. Adrienne Duke-Marks, associate professor and extension specialist in Human Development and Family Science, was a colleague of Akande’s in both Cooperative Extension and Human Development and Family Science. Marks pointed to Akande’s willingness to go above and beyond to help people and make a difference.

“Katrina was a lively colleague who spoke her mind and believed deeply in helping people who were the most marginalized in our society,” Marks said. “She pushed the boundaries of what it meant to be an extension specialist and mainly engaged in direct service in communities where she felt she could make a difference. Katrina was the colleague who would come to your office to see how you were doing, what projects you were working on, and share her thoughts, advice, or resources based on the conversation. Although her visits would interrupt whatever I was working on, I realized when she was off that I actually needed those breaks to ground me during the day. Her office visits were always memorable, and I will miss her presence in Spidle.” 

Akande’s work in Extension catered to Alabama families’ needs through various Extension programs and resources, with an emphasis on helping fathers build parenting skills.

For Dr. Laura Downey, associate dean and assistant director for Human Sciences Extension, she initially met Akande working as faculty and Extension specialists at Mississippi State University in the School of Human Sciences, and both reconnected when Downey came to Auburn in 2022.

“Dr. Akande excelled at cultivating positive working relationships with Extension professionals, community-based partners and other stakeholders to support her Extension programs,” Downey said. “Her network was wide and diverse, and she enjoyed connecting partners with shared interests. She had a spark that inspired me and many others to collaborate on and support efforts to address issues impacting children and families in Alabama.”

Dr. Silvia Vilches, assistant professor and extension Specialist in Human Development and Family Science, spoke to Akande’s gift of mentoring her students to watch them grow and achieve success.

“Katrina was a kind and thoughtful mentor to students and graduate students,” Vilches said. “She was insightful, really understanding nervous or anxious students, but also pushing students to expand their horizons. She supported non-academic track graduate students to develop their skills to achieve success. She reached across disciplinary boundaries to support students, and those that found their way to her door received a warm and personal mentoring.”

“Katrina stayed actively engaged with her colleagues, always with a contagious, curious and positive spirit,” said College of Human Sciences Dean Susan Hubbard. “We miss her energy in the halls of Spidle but are certain her passionate work ethic made lasting changes in our college and in the lives of countless individuals.”