Madam Stephenie Dahn-Koung

The United Methodist University proudly celebrates Madam Synleseh Stephenie Dahn-Koung, Second Lady of the Republic of Liberia and a distinguished alumna whose national service reflects compassion, inclusion, and purposeful leadership.

Madam Dahn-Koung graduated from the United Methodist University in 2015. Her journey from the classrooms of UMU to the Office of the Second Lady represents an inspiring example of how education can prepare individuals to assume greater responsibilities in society and become voices for vulnerable populations.

She is married to His Excellency Jeremiah Kpan Koung, Vice President of the Republic of Liberia. Following his inauguration in January 2024, she assumed the role of Second Lady and Executive Director of the Group of 77, Liberia’s national welfare programme supporting persons living with disabilities.

Madam Dahn-Koung has used her position to champion the dignity, rights, education, healthcare, and economic empowerment of persons with disabilities, particularly women, girls, and children. Her leadership emphasizes that disability should never become a barrier to opportunity, participation, or national development.

One of her most significant initiatives is the proposed National Disabled Resource and Residence Center in Kpekor Town, Brewerville. The first phase of the estimated US$5 million project is designed to include residential accommodation for approximately 200 persons with disabilities, a fully equipped high school, a modern healthcare facility, and programmes promoting skills development and economic independence.

She has also introduced the KPEKOR Project, an empowerment initiative intended to provide housing, small-business opportunities, and practical support for women, girls, and children living with disabilities. The project seeks to move beneficiaries beyond dependency by creating sustainable pathways toward dignity and self-reliance.

In March 2025, Madam Dahn-Koung convened Liberia’s inaugural Conference on the Status of Women with Disabilities. The landmark gathering provided a national platform for discussions on education, healthcare, accessibility, economic empowerment, domestic violence, legal protection, and the systemic barriers confronting women with disabilities. She pledged to institutionalize the conference as an annual event.

Her advocacy has extended beyond Liberia. At the 2025 Women’s Summit in Casablanca, Morocco, she participated as a guest speaker and panellist, promoting international collaboration on women’s empowerment, children’s rights, disability inclusion, and sustainable development.

Madam Dahn-Koung’s journey represents a source of pride for the United Methodist University. She demonstrates that true leadership is measured not simply by prominence or position, but by the lives improved and the voices brought from society’s margins to the centre of national attention.

From UMU’s Class of 2015 to the Office of the Second Lady, Madam Synleseh Stephenie Dahn-Koung is an alumna making a compassionate and enduring impact.