IFUNANYA NWEKE
Founder; Executive Director
Jazz Hands For Autism
Dr. Ifunanya Nweke, Ed.D. is the founder and executive director of Jazz Hands For Autism, a Culver City-based nonprofit she built into one of the country’s leading organizations serving autistic musicians through music education. For nearly twelve years, Dr. Nweke has led JHFA’s growth from a single idea into a multi-program organization built around the Jazz Hands Music Academy, an educator training program, and a biannual concert series.
Under Dr. Nweke’s leadership, JHFA’s Jazz Hands Educator Training program has now trained more than 100 educators, collectively reaching more than 1,400 students, with a goal of 400-plus trained educators by the end of 2026. JHFA’s musicians have played more than 300 gigs, the majority paid, earning more than $54,000 directly from their craft.
