Born in northern Nigeria and raised in southern California, Funke’s immigrant experience ignited her dedication to public service and commitment to forging a more equitable world. Before Princeton, she worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development, supporting programs to reduce hunger, malnutrition and poverty globally. Prior to that, she worked in research and advocacy to advance racial, gender and economic equity as a policy analyst with the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality, and as a Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow with the Congressional Hunger Center. After Princeton, Funke aims to help develop evidence-based and equitable policies to combat poverty and promote inclusive economic development in Africa and globally. Funke is a member and volunteer with the Sadie Collective, an organization dedicated to empowering Black women and girls in economics and related fields. She holds bachelor's degrees with honors in economics and international relations from the University of California, Davis.