Atoyebi, Director of Quality and Regulatory at NOW Foods, grew up in a family where education and discipline were central. Her father was a high school principal, her mother worked in the school system and her grandmother worked at a college.
“My whole upbringing was basically about hard work, education, making sure that we did the right things at the right time and a lot of discipline and structure,” she said.
Those values continue to influence how she balances her executive responsibilities with raising two daughters. She wants her children t understand that motherhood and a demanding career can coexist.
“I let them know, do you want to be a mother? Do you want to have a demanding career? Do you want both? Anything’s possible,” she said, adding that she tries to demonstrate that balance through her actions.
Atoyebi added that leadership did not come naturally. Despite her outgoing personality, she describes herself as an “introverted extrovert” who spends considerable time preparing for difficult conversations and presentations.
Her greatest personal influence, however, was her grandmother, who passed away in February at age 95.
“She would tell me, ‘Young lady, you need to learn how to give people the same amount of grace you require,’” Atoyebi said.
That lesson remains central to her leadership philosophy: recognizing that everyone makes mistakes and extending others the same understanding she expects for herself.
