About Ib

My Journey: From Adversity to Possibility

Hi, I’m Ibrahim Dabo. Most people call me Ib.

Ib Dabo sharing his perspectives on leadership, resilience, and the power of possibility.

I’m a leadership coach, speaker, journalist, technology and communications leader, and advocate. But long before I held any of those roles, I was a young boy with dreams that seemed far greater than his circumstances.

At 14, civil war disrupted my life. When rebels invaded our city, my brother and I fled by sea, leaving behind nearly everything we knew.

We spent five days at sea, uncertain of what awaited us.

I lost people I loved, the security of home, and the future I had once imagined.

But I didn’t stop dreaming.

That experience began teaching me something that would shape the rest of my life:

Our circumstances may change the direction of our journey, but they do not have to determine who we are capable of becoming.

The Dream That Opened Doors

As a teenager living as a refugee in The Gambia, I dreamed of becoming a journalist.

It wasn’t an obvious path. I had limited resources, no established connections in the industry, and people around me who questioned whether the dream was realistic.

But I refused to allow those limitations to determine my future.

At 17, I became the first Africa correspondent for the world’s leading multilingual soccer website at the time, beginning a journalism career that would take me into conversations with influential people across sports, business, entertainment, public service, and international affairs.

While covering African soccer as a young journalist in 2003, Ib Dabo met Issa Hayatou, then-president of the Confederation
of African Football — a defining moment in his early journey of storytelling, leadership, and resilience.

In 2003, I created my first website, which eventually grew into Ib Talk Online—a platform through which I documented stories, interviewed influential figures, and shared experiences through journalism and photography.

Ib Dabo interviewing American actor and comedian Chris Tucker during his journalism career.

That journey taught me that the opportunities we cannot yet see may become possible when we refuse to stop pursuing what matters to us.

Explore my journalism journey: Ib Talk Online — Stories in Photos → 

Building Leadership Through Experience

My interest in technology began alongside my journalism career. What started with building websites and exploring digital communication eventually developed into a career leading technology, communications, and organizational initiatives.

Over the years, I’ve held leadership roles in nonprofit and mission-driven organizations, including Habitat for Humanity International and Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church.

Ib Dabo at Habitat for Humanity International’s global headquarters, where he has served as an IT Director, supporting the organization’s mission of bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope.

I’ve led teams, developed strategies, navigated organizational change, and worked with people across different backgrounds, disciplines, and levels of leadership.

Those experiences taught me that leadership is not simply about having a title, making decisions, or achieving professional success.

It’s about developing the ability to see possibility where others see limitations, helping people recognize their capabilities, and using our influence to serve others.

The greatest leaders are not defined by the adversity they face, but by the leadership they build through it.

Alongside my coaching and speaking work, I provide strategic advisory support to leaders navigating complex challenges and important decisions. Drawing on my experience across technology, strategic communications, organizational leadership, and public service, I serve as a trusted thought partner—helping leaders see what may be beneath the surface, navigate difficult relationships and competing priorities, and find a practical path forward.

Turning Adversity Into Service

Hearing loss has been another defining part of my journey.

It has shaped how I experience communication, navigate professional environments, and understand the barriers that people with disabilities may encounter.

But it has also deepened my commitment to helping others participate fully in the communities and organizations they serve.

In 2022, I was appointed to the Georgia Commission for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing, where I’ve worked alongside others to advance accessibility, raise awareness, and advocate for more inclusive environments.

Ib Dabo being sworn in by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp as a Commissioner for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

My advocacy has included efforts to improve communication access in public spaces, churches, and the Georgia State Capitol.

Through this work, I’ve come to appreciate that restoring possibility isn’t only about helping individuals recognize their potential. It’s also about addressing the barriers that prevent people from fully contributing their gifts.

Leadership becomes meaningful when we use what we’ve learned to open doors for others.

Learn more: My Hearing Loss & Advocacy Journey →

The People and Faith That Ground Me

My journey has never been mine alone.

My faith in God has sustained me through uncertainty, loss, and moments when I could not see what the future would hold.

It has also shaped my understanding of purpose: that the gifts, experiences, and opportunities we receive are not simply for our own advancement, but also for the people we are called to serve.

My wife, Joy, has been an extraordinary source of encouragement throughout our journey. Her belief in me has helped me continue pursuing my calling, including during seasons when I questioned whether I should keep going.

With my wife, Joy, at the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) Convention. Her love, faith,
and unwavering encouragement have been a constant source of strength throughout my journey.

Together, we are raising our family while seeking to live lives grounded in faith, love, and service.

I don’t believe success is measured only by what we accomplish.

I believe it is also measured by the people we serve and the lives we lift.

Helping Others Discover What’s Possible

Looking back, I see a consistent thread running through my life.

As a refugee, I refused to allow displacement to end my dreams.

As a young journalist, I pursued opportunities that others considered unlikely.

As a professional, I continued developing my leadership capabilities despite setbacks and limitations.

And through hearing-loss advocacy, I’ve learned that the lessons we gain through adversity can become opportunities to serve others.

Today, I bring those experiences together through coaching, speaking, mentorship, and service.

Ib Dabo encouraging young people to recognize their potential, pursue their dreams,
and discover what’s possible beyond their present circumstances.

I work with emerging and aspiring leaders who are ready to discover their strengths, develop their capabilities, and pursue a future greater than their current circumstances may suggest.

I also speak to organizations, universities, associations, and professional audiences about leadership, resilience, possibility, accessibility, and purposeful service.

My conviction is simple:

I believe one of the greatest losses in life happens when capable people begin accepting smaller futures than the ones they are capable of building.

My work is about helping people recognize that possibility again—and take meaningful steps toward who they are capable of becoming.

A Legacy of Influence and Service

Voices from leaders inspired by Ib’s purpose-driven journey.