Ambassador Dr. Margaret Dureke Biographical Sketch
Turning Adversities into Achievements

Ambassador Dr. Margaret Dureke is a recipient of one of the highest civilian honors in America, the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award and an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Philosophy in Entrepreneurship and Business Administration. She is also a recipient of the Maryland Daily Record Top 100 Women 2023.
Dr. Margaret Dureke is the Founder, President, and Executive Director of an economic empowerment educational nonprofit organization called WETATi Academy; located at and in partnership with Nyumburu Cultural Center, University of Maryland, College Park. She is also the founder and managing Principal of Margaret Speaks. Dr. Dureke is a renowned international “moxie motivational speaker”- Washington Post and known as a “How-to-Guru” for her expertise and natural ability to empower her clients, through her MargaretSpeaks. platform.
Ambassador Dr. Dureke, received her B.A. degree with honors from Howard University and a Juris Doctorate degree in law from American University, Washington College of Law, Washington, DC. She is serial entrepreneur, publisher, and bestselling author of several personal and business development books such as “How to Succeed Against All Odds”, “The Power of Consistency”, “7 Drivers for Success”, “Think, Believe, Act and Grow Rich”, “I Am: The Power of Self Awareness”, “11 Keys to Finding The Seed of Opportunity in Any Adversity”, and many more.
For over 30 years, Dr. Dureke has been training, empowering, coaching, mentoring and inspiring corporations, government agencies, business leaders, community leaders, diplomatic corps, students, and the public about the importance of believing in themselves to achieve their respective impossibilities in any area of their lives. Her passion is to teach others how to turn adversities or disadvantages into achievements.
Amongst Dr. Dureke’s other notable achievements and awards are:
- 2023 Maryland The Daily Record Top 100 Women
- Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award
- Honorary Doctorate Degree of Philosophy in Entrepreneurship and Business Administration from Trinity International University Ambassadors’ School of Business (T.I.U.A)
- Appointed Goodwill Ambassador to the Republic of the Gambia in recognition of her philanthropic and humanitarian work in Gambia and around the world
- Recipient of the United States Army MacArthur woman of Excellence Award
- Ambassador Dr. Margaret Dureke and WETATi Academy were awarded the Maryland Governor’s Citation in honor of National Women’s Small Business Month, October 2017. The Citation recognized: “The amazing work that you do and for the significant impact you are making to Maryland’s economy and the community you serve.”
- MEA-Heart & Soul Magazine “Woman of Power Award 2018
- A Fellow at the Venture Philanthropy Partners-DC, Ready to Work Nonprofit Capacity Building
- Senior Vice President in marketing in the Direct Sales industry
- Presenter and Speaker at the 58th Anniversary- Montgomery Bus Boycott honoring Rosa Parks, alongside Dr. Bernice King
Dr. Dureke is happily married to her husband and best friend John Dureke for the past 36 years, and together they have three beautiful and talented daughters, Chidinma, Chuckwunonso, and Destiny.
Email: margaret@wetati.com
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