Nkechi 'Payton' Iheme

Nkechi "Payton" Iheme is an accomplished public policy leader with over 20 years of experience in the field. She is the former Head of Public Policy for North America and Latin America and the Caribbean for Bumble Inc. At Bumble, she lends her expertise to focus on issues overlapping with community building, online safety, diversity and equity, data privacy, the digital economy, small business, and public/private partnerships.

Prior to joining Bumble, Iheme led aspects of public policy outreach at Facebook and also served as the Senior Policy Advisor for Communication Technology at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy for the Obama Administration. She has also held various roles in the Dept. of Defense, the State Department, and in Congress as a legislative liaison with specialization in defense, intelligence, humanitarian assistance, and special access programs for Members on the Senate Intelligence, Armed Services, and Foreign Relations Committees.

Presently, Iheme is the founder of The Third Space Studio, a strategic advisory firm built for leaders navigating complex decisions and bold transitions, and an Entrepreneur in Residence at Georgetown University.

She is also a proud military officer/veteran and continues to serve. She is based in the Washington, DC area.