Ever wonder who’s standing beside one of Vice President Kamala Harris’s most visible family members? You’ve probably seen Meena Harris online. She’s everywhere. Do you know who is Meena Harris husband?
Her husband, Nikolas Ajagu, keeps a much quieter profile. That doesn’t mean his story isn’t fascinating. According to a 2024 report, Nikolas stepped back from a high-level tech career to become a full-time stay-at-home dad to their two daughters, challenging traditional family roles in a powerful way.
This article will show you who Nikolas really is, from his career at Facebook to his Nigerian roots, and how he and Meena built their partnership.
Let’s get to know the man behind the scenes.
Key Takeaways
- Nikolas Ajagu married Meena Harris, niece of Vice President Kamala Harris, in 2014 after meeting at Facebook in 2007.
- He holds a degree in Social Anthropology from Princeton University and worked as Global Head of Partnerships for Facebook’s Advertising Technology division.
- In 2021, he left his tech career to become a full-time stay-at-home dad, a decision publicly praised by Meena Harris.
- He co-founded two creative businesses: Code & Canvas (2013), a collaborative workspace for artists, and Barrel & Ink (2014), connecting wine enthusiasts with limited-run wines.
- Nikolas and Meena live in California’s Bay Area with their two daughters, Amara and Leela, and often share family moments on Meena’s social media.
Meena Harris Husband: Who Is Nikolas Ajagu?
Nikolas Ajagu has carved out his own path in technology and business. He’s best known as Meena Harris’s husband, but his professional journey stands on its own.
Born to Dr. Chris Ajagu, whose family hails from Nimo in Anambra State, Nigeria, Nikolas carries a rich Nigerian-American heritage that adds cultural depth to the Harris family.
What Are Nikolas Ajagu’s Career Highlights?
Meena Harris husband, Nikolas built an impressive career before making a life-changing choice. Here’s what stands out.
- He graduated from Princeton University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Anthropology, where his senior thesis explored the cultural impact and economic growth of interactive media.
- At Princeton, he served as President of the Ivy Club and participated in the university’s basketball and football programs, showing leadership on and off campus.
- He co-founded Ecosystem Ventures, a seed-stage venture investment and consulting firm, gaining early entrepreneurial experience.
- In 2007, he joined Facebook as a Campaign Manager in the monetization department and climbed through several roles over more than a decade.
- He rose to become Global Head of Partnerships for Facebook’s Advertising Technology division, overseeing major partnerships across the company’s advertising sector.
- According to MarketScreener, he co-founded Code & Canvas in 2013, a creative workspace and community for fifty artists and musicians to collaborate.
- He launched Barrel & Ink in 2014, a wine venture connecting enthusiasts with limited-run wines from award-winning winemakers, artists, and designers.
- In 2021, he made headlines by leaving his Facebook role to become a full-time stay-at-home dad, a decision Meena Harris publicly celebrated as breaking traditional gender norms.
- Since 2021, he has served as Director at The New School of San Francisco, continuing his involvement in education and community development.
What Is Nikolas Ajagu’s Personal Background and Heritage?
Nikolas was born in the United States, but his Nigerian heritage plays an important role in his identity.
His father, Dr. Chris Ajagu, comes from Nimo in Anambra State, Nigeria. This connection gives Nikolas a strong tie to Nigerian culture, even though he grew up and spent most of his life in America.
He celebrates his birthday on January 13, though his exact birth year remains private. Meena Harris shared a heartfelt Instagram post on January 13, 2023, writing, “Happy Nik Day to everyone’s favorite guy.”
Despite his connection to a high-profile political family, Nikolas keeps most details about his early life, childhood, and extended family out of the public eye. Media coverage tends to focus on his professional achievements and his role as a husband and father, rather than digging into his personal history.
Nikolas Ajagu’s Role in Meena Harris’s Life
Nikolas and Meena built a true partnership, one where both people lift each other up. Their relationship shows what modern equality looks like in action.
How Does Nikolas Support Meena Harris’s Career?
The most striking example of Nikolas’s support came in 2021. According to a January 2021 interview with The Times, he left his high-level position at Facebook to become a full-time stay-at-home dad to their two daughters.
This wasn’t a small career move. He walked away from a role that put him at the center of Facebook’s global advertising technology.
Meena praised this decision publicly, emphasizing that their family doesn’t follow traditional gender roles. By taking on the primary caregiver role, Nikolas gave Meena the flexibility to focus on her work as a lawyer, author, entrepreneur, and founder of the Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign.
While there’s no public record of him directly working on Meena’s projects, his behind-the-scenes role as a supportive partner and hands-on parent has been essential to her success. His decision challenges outdated expectations and sets a powerful example for families everywhere.
What Is Their Family Life Like with Their Daughters?
Nikolas and Meena live in California’s Bay Area with their two daughters, Amara and Leela.
Amara was born in June 2016, and Leela arrived in February 2018. According to a 2019 interview, Meena described their daughters as having distinct personalities: the older one is more serious and loves books, while the younger one is always playing and smiling.
As of January 2025, Meena’s Instagram has 740K followers, where she regularly shares glimpses of their family life.
Photos show birthday celebrations, quiet moments at home, and the girls spending time with their aunt Kamala. The family shares a close bond, rooted in love, laughter, and the values passed down from Meena’s mother, Maya Harris, and her late grandmother, Shyamala Gopalan.
Nikolas is deeply involved in day-to-day parenting. He reads to the girls, plays with them, and makes sure they grow up with a strong sense of confidence and kindness. The family keeps a relatively low profile, but the moments Meena shares paint a picture of a warm, happy home.
What Are Nikolas Ajagu’s Notable Achievements?
Nikolas’s career blends corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and a commitment to family. Here’s a closer look at what he’s accomplished.
- He graduated from Princeton University in 2005 with a degree in Social Anthropology, where he also led the Ivy Club and played both basketball and football.
- He co-founded Ecosystem Ventures, an early-stage investment and consulting firm, giving him hands-on experience advising tech startups like PlaySpan and Autonet Mobile.
- He joined Facebook in 2007 and spent over a decade there, working his way up from Campaign Manager to Global Head of Partnerships for Advertising Technology.
- In this global role, he oversaw partnerships across North America and beyond, shaping how brands connected with consumers on one of the world’s largest platforms.
- He co-founded Code & Canvas in 2013, creating a collaborative space for fifty creatives, including artists and musicians, to work and connect in San Francisco.
- He launched Barrel & Ink in 2014, a company that brings together winemakers, artists, and designers to create limited-edition wine collaborations.
- According to MarketScreener, he served as an Independent Non-Executive Director at K-TIG Ltd. from 2015 to 2016 and an Independent Director at NextPoint Financial, Inc. from 2021 to 2023.
- Since 2021, he has been a Director at The New School of San Francisco, showing his ongoing commitment to education and community.
- In January 2021, he made a bold personal decision to leave Facebook and become a full-time stay-at-home dad, prioritizing his family over his career.
- He gained viral attention at the 2021 Presidential Inauguration when he wore a pair of $21,000 Dior Air Jordan 1 sneakers, sparking admiration across social media for his unique style.
Takeaways
Nikolas Ajagu is more than just Meena Harris husband. He’s a tech veteran, an entrepreneur, and a devoted father who made a brave choice to put family first.
His journey shows that success looks different for everyone. Sometimes, the most meaningful achievement isn’t climbing the corporate ladder but stepping off it to be there for the people you love.
With a strong educational background from Princeton, years of leadership at Facebook, and creative ventures like Code & Canvas and Barrel & Ink, Nikolas has built a legacy that goes beyond job titles. His decision to challenge traditional gender roles and become a full-time stay-at-home dad sets a powerful example for modern families.
Together, he and Meena Harris prove that real partnership is about supporting each other’s dreams and sharing the work it takes to build a life.
FAQs on Meena Harris Husband
1. Who is Meena Harris’s husband?
Meena Harris, an author and the founder of Phenomenal, married Nikolas Ajagu in 2014 after the two met while working at Facebook. They now have two daughters, Amara and Leela, and often share glimpses of their family life on social media.
2. What does Nikolas Ajagu do for work?
Nikolas Ajagu has a successful career in the tech industry, having previously served as the Global Head of Partnerships for Facebook’s Advertising Technology division. An entrepreneur at heart, he has also co-founded several companies, including Code & Canvas and Barrel & Ink.
3. How is Meena Harris related to Kamala Harris?
Meena Harris is the niece of former Vice President Kamala Harris; her mother, Maya Harris, is Kamala’s younger sister.
4. What is Meena Harris known for?
Meena is widely recognized as the founder of Phenomenal, a brand that began in 2017 with a t-shirt inspired by a Maya Angelou poem and has since grown into a powerful media and content company. She is also a New York Times best-selling children’s book author, known for works like “Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea” and “Ambitious Girl.”
5. Where did Meena and Nik go to school?
Meena Harris earned her undergraduate degree from Stanford University in 2006 and later received her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 2012. Nikolas Ajagu is a graduate of Princeton University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree.
6. What causes does the Harris family support?
The family has a long-standing commitment to social justice and civil rights, a legacy passed down from Meena’s grandmother, Shyamala Gopalan, who was a breast cancer researcher and activist. Through her brand Phenomenal, Meena actively supports a wide range of causes, including gender equality, healthcare equity, and criminal justice reform.







