Dr. Nikoi has 23 years of experience at the nexus of international development, livelihoods, and higher education. Her primary focus is on the role of non-formal education and adult learning in transformative learning. She has extensive experience in gender integration, youth livelihoods, research methods, and assessment. She is a senior qualitative researcher and gender specialist with Miske Witt and Associates International, where she coordinates program activities to promote gender equity and equality. As a faculty of practice at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota, Dr. Nikoi has developed leadership and education curricula and taught in-person and online cohorts of students in the educational leadership program. She teaches courses on scholarly analysis, research methods, and leadership ethics. In addition, she work with students to guide them through the writing process and facilitate the development of their research topics.

Academic Credentials

• Ph.D., University of Minnesota
• M.A., Ohio University
• B.A., Hope College

Areas of Focus

Non-formal education, adult education, youth and livelihoods, gender and education, qualitative research

Professional Affiliations

Comparative and International Education Society

Professional Publications and Presentations

Nikoi, A., Chachage, K., Pellowski Wiger, & Miske, S. (2022, April). Support for adolescent girls’ education in the era of COVID-19: A case study of three school systems in Tanzania. Paper presented at the Comparative and International Education Society Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, April 2022).

Nikoi, A. (2021, April). Negotiating understandings of gender in data collection and analysis of Parent Teacher Partnerships in Tanzania. Paper presented at Comparative and International Education Society (virtual).

Dickerson, L.A., Farrell, A., Nikoi, A., & O’Connor, S. (2021, April). Seeking strategic renewal during and after a crisis: Lessons from online transitions in higher education. Paper presented at the Comparative and International Education Society (virtual).

Bamattre, R., Schowengerdt, B., Nikoi, A., & DeJaeghere, J. (2019). Time Matters: The Potential and Pitfalls of Conducting Longitudinal Mixed Methods Approaches in Program Evaluation. International Journal of Social Research Methodology. DOI: 10.1080/13645579.2018.1553674

Nikoi, A., Willemsen, L., & Bamattre, R. (2018, April). Moving Beyond Quotes and Anecdotes: Communicating qualitative evidence in evaluation. Workshop presented at the Communicating Evidence for Sustainable Development conference. Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands.

Nikoi, A. (2017, March). Vocational Training and Agency among Kenyan Youth. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society. Atlanta, GA.

Nikoi, A. (2016). Vocational training and agency among Kenyan youth. In J. DeJaeghere, J. Josic & K. McCleary (Eds.), Education and youth agency: Qualitative cases in global contexts (233- 249). Switzerland: Springer International Publishers.