ODEP - Office of Disability Employment Policy
Disability Employment Policy Resources by Topic
Nkafu Amingwa — Special Assistant
Nkafu Amingwa is the very busy professional behind a very busy professional. As a special assistant to the Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, Nkafu coordinates her supervisor's meeting and event calendar, keeping everything running smoothly and on track.
The Wage and Hour Division is responsible for administering and enforcing some of the country's most wide-reaching labor laws, including those addressing minimum wage, overtime pay, and family and medical leave. Not surprisingly, its leadership has a demanding schedule. It's Nkafu's job to manage it effectively, serving as the division's point of contact for other Federal agencies and the White House. No day is the same, and no day is dull, she says.
Though on the surface Nkafu's job is mostly administrative, the keys to her success extend beyond tangible skills. "It's really about good judgment and knowing how to work with people," she says. She comes to the job well prepared, having earned her master's degree in conflict resolution from George Mason University. Her undergraduate degree is from Austin College in Sherman, Texas, where she studied international relations and economics.
Nkafu's ability to work well with many different people likely also stems from her diverse background and life experiences. Originally from Cameroon, Africa, she moved to the United States when she was seven and speaks four languages. She is also a polio survivor and uses crutches to walk. Nkafu obtained her position through the Federal government's Schedule A hiring authority, which allows federal agencies to hire people with disabilities through an expedited process.
The thing she likes most about her job is her supervisor, who is hardworking and a great mentor to young professionals, Nkafu says. Clearly, she is a quick study — since many of her colleagues describe her the same way.
