Adoubou Traore

executive Director / DOJ Accredited Representative

Adoubou is the Executive Director of The African Advocacy Network with the responsibility of carrying out the mission of the organization. He is also involved in all aspects of organization management including: overseeing administration, programs and strategic planning, maintaining a positive relationship with the board of directors and acting as a liaison between AAN and a range of external stakeholders.

Adoubou is AAN’s representative on several collaborative programs including the Northern California TPS Coalition, Silicon Valley Community Foundation’s special program: Strengthening Legal and Language Services Infrastructure (SILF), the Steering Committee of Santa Clara County Immigrant Integration program, California Drive, among others. Adoubou also conducts community outreach and education for African and Afro Caribbean communities. Adoubou is a DOJ Accredited Representative and provides translation and interpretation services.

In 2000, Adoubou participated in the Fulbright program at San Francisco State University where he obtained a MA in English with a concentration in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Adoubou holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Abidjan. In addition, Adoubou received training at the Ecole Normale Superieure (Teachers’ Training College) of Abidjan, where he graduated as a certified Senior High School Teacher of French and English as a Foreign Language. He also studied at Lancaster University in The United Kingdom where he earned a certification in teaching English for Specific Purposes. Adoubou also taught English and French at a senior high school and the National Polytechnic Institute of Yamoussoukro in The Ivory Coast and has been a faculty member at a community college for more than 10 years. 

Prior to founding AAN in June 2009, Adoubou spent two years (2004-2006) as volunteer ESL/basic computer skills instructor and a volunteer coordinator at The African Immigrant and Refugee Resource Center (AIRRC) in San Francisco. Adoubou later spent three years (2006-2009) as the Executive Director of The AIRRC, where he assisted in provided a wide range of services including immigration and social services to African immigrants in the San Francisco Bay Area.

In June 2017, the City and County of San Francisco, the California State Assembly, and the California State Board of Equalization recognized Adoubou as an Immigrant Grassroots Leader. He received the Immigrant Leadership Award for outstanding achievement serving the immigrant community.

Adoubou is originally from The Ivory Coast and is fluent in English, French, Spanish, Senufo, and Bambara.