Yvette Butler-Yeboah, MD

Dr. Yvette Butler-Yeboah, a native of California and dual citizen of the United States and Ghana, is a distinguished educator, community leader, entrepreneur, coalition builder, grassroots organizer, and passionate advocate for educational equity, workforce development, and civic engagement. As the Founder and Executive Director of GapBuster, Inc., she has devoted more than 25 years to empowering underserved youth, adults, and families through innovative educational programs, leadership development initiatives, workforce training, and community engagement opportunities that create pathways to lifelong success.

Since founding GapBuster, Inc. in 1999, Dr. Butler-Yeboah has worked tirelessly to close achievement gaps and expand opportunities for disadvantaged and minority students throughout the United States and Africa. Guided by the organization’s mission to “Educate, Elevate, and Empower,” she has partnered with school systems, government agencies, businesses, and community-based organizations to address educational inequities and barriers to success.

Her work has focused on improving access to quality educational opportunities, advanced academic programs, enrichment experiences, youth empowerment, workforce development, and support services for students and families, including English language learners. She has also been a strong advocate for equitable resource allocation, family engagement, and culturally responsive educational practices. Through GapBuster’s programs and initiatives, Dr. Butler-Yeboah and her team have positively impacted more than 30,000 students and families worldwide.

Recognizing that leadership development is essential to long-term success, Dr. Butler-Yeboah created the Leaders in Training (LIT) Program, which helps young people develop leadership skills, civic responsibility, public speaking abilities, and a commitment to community service. Drawing upon her background in public health and infectious disease education, she collaborated with community partners to develop an HIV/AIDS Youth Peer Educator curriculum that fostered international partnerships with schools in South Africa and Ghana.

Under her leadership, GapBuster has also become a catalyst for civic engagement. Through voter registration drives, community education initiatives, candidate forums, and town hall meetings, Dr. Butler-Yeboah has encouraged youth and families to become active participants in the democratic process. Her students and their families have testified before local school boards, county councils, the Maryland General Assembly in Annapolis, and members of Congress on issues affecting education, workforce development, and youth opportunities.

In 2017, Dr. Butler-Yeboah and her husband, Mr. Ekourba Yeboah, expanded their mission internationally by establishing GapBuster Ghana, a nonprofit organization focused on empowering youth—particularly girls—through Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education. To support this vision, they invested in critical community infrastructure, including libraries, computer laboratories, washroom facilities, and a multipurpose community center.

On August 22, 2022, GapBuster Ghana celebrated its official program launch and commissioned a state-of-the-art multipurpose hall and cafeteria capable of accommodating up to 800 standing guests or 350 table-seated participants. Today, GapBuster Ghana operates in multiple regions throughout Ghana, providing educational enrichment, technology training, leadership development, health initiatives, and community support services that impact thousands of youth and families annually.

Dr. Butler-Yeboah’s leadership has helped bridge communities across continents, creating opportunities for learning, service, cultural exchange, and economic mobility. Together with her husband and a dedicated network of staff, volunteers, and partners, she continues to expand GapBuster’s reach throughout Ghana and other countries in West Africa, building pathways for future generations to thrive through education, leadership, and service.

Dr. Butler-Yeboah has received a plethora of Awards and Recognitions. The most recent are the following

• The U.S. President’s, 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award, Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), September 2022
• Maryland Commission for Women, ”100 Sheroes Parade” 26, August 2020
• International SHEROES Philanthropic Women of Year Award, June 2020
• Delta Alumnae Foundation, Inc., 2018 Education Impact Award, Montgomery County, MD
• Nominee for League of United Latin American Citizen (LULAC). Woman’s Hall of Fame, July 2016