Dr. Somachi Kachikwu — known across her community as Dr. K — built The Learning Box International on
a
conviction that has guided her entire career: learning, when it is designed with the learner in
mind,
changes everything.
With over 20 years of experience spanning K–12 education, higher education, workforce development,
and
international development, Dr. K has spent her career at the intersection of learning
science and human transformation. She doesn't design programs to check boxes. She designs
them to
transform people.
Before founding TLB, Dr. K served as Director of Curriculum & Digital Learning at Phoenix TS,
one of the
nation's leading federal IT and cybersecurity training providers, where she built and led curriculum
strategy
for a rigorous federal training environment. Before that, she managed USAID-funded education programs across Sub-Saharan Africa through
Chemonics
International, one of the largest international development firms in the world. She has also served
as
Executive Director of the Women's Leadership Institute, where she spearheaded leadership programming
for women
across Africa.
Her work has touched every level of the learning ecosystem, from rural African classrooms to federal
agencies,
from K–12 school districts to professional development programs for adults re-entering the
workforce. What
ties it all together is her signature framework, S.P.A.R.K. —
Stimulating,
Practical, and Relevant Knowledge — which grounds every program TLB designs in real context, real
learners,
and real results.
"Before I design anything, I need to understand who I'm designing for. Stakeholder needs aren't
the starting
point of good learning design; they are the whole foundation."
Dr. K holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Marymount University, where her dissertation
focused on
online professional development for teachers in underserved communities — research that continues to
drive
TLB's mission. She also holds an MA from University College London, a BA from Wesleyan University,
and a
Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership from the University of Leicester. She is a certified
Project
Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Scrum Master, and holds an Acumen Academy Systems
Practice
Certificate.
Her thought leadership extends beyond the boardroom. She is the host of the Class Dismissed with
Dr.
K podcast, a solution-focused platform that amplifies educators in underserved communities
worldwide.
She is a published education author and a LinkedIn thought leadership voice on AI and education
through her
series, Learning Transformed. She has been featured as a speaker on the intersection of
parenting,
technology, and education, most recently on preparing families to be future-ready.
TLB operates as a Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and Minority
Business
Enterprise (MBE), registered with SAM.gov. Serving both institutional clients through TLB
Consulting
and families through learnwithTLB, the company is positioned at the frontier of what learning can
look like,
when it is strategic, equitable, and deeply human.
The Learning Box International · Founded 2020