A decade-long career in the oil and gas industry, followed by two decades as a consultant and speaker, did not lead Okina Fitriani to leave the academic world behind. An alumna of the Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), she continued teaching, pursued her studies through doctoral level, and developed research in the field of parenting. Born and raised in Yogyakarta to a family of West Sumatran heritage, she has demonstrated that dedication to the industrial sector can go hand in hand with meaningful contributions to research and academia.
Okina’s academic journey at the Faculty of Psychology UGM began when she pursued her undergraduate degree, graduating in 1996. She then immediately continued her studies in the Professional Psychology Program at the same alma mater.
After completing her professional training, Okina began her career in the oil and gas industry in 1998, joining PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia, which was later renamed PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia. She spent a decade at the multinational company, continuing her career there until the end of 2009.
Deepening her expertise in psychology, particularly in Human Development, Neuroscience, and Human Capital, Okina’s professional journey later expanded into a broader range of fields. After approximately 10 years in the oil and gas industry, she spent two decades working as a consultant and speaker at various seminars on Organization Development, Parenting, Communication, and Leadership in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Middle East.
Amid her work at Chevron, Okina also had the opportunity to teach at IAIN Sulthan Syarif Qasim Pekanbaru, now known as UIN Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau. She taught every Friday and Saturday from 1999 to around 2002.
“At that time, it was very difficult to find lecturers in Pekanbaru. So, while working at Chevron, I also taught at IAIN Suska,” Okina said.
Her commitment to lifelong learning encouraged Okina to continuously advance her academic qualifications. Her passion for academia never waned, even while she was immersed in the oil and gas industry.
In 2005, Okina pursued a master’s degree at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), specializing in Human Capital. At the time, the work she was handling became the subject of her thesis, which examined merger management and employee commitment. She graduated with a Master’s degree in 2007.
Her determination to deepen her knowledge of psychology led Okina to pursue a doctoral degree at the same university. At this level, she made a significant shift in her academic focus. Having previously focused on Human Resources and Industrial and Organizational Psychology (IOP), she moved into Developmental and Cognitive Psychology.
“I made a leap from Human Resources, from industrial and organizational psychology, to developmental and cognitive psychology,” she said.
This shift in focus eventually led Okina to research parenting. In her doctoral dissertation, she scientifically tested the Enlightening Parenting Module, a parenting module she had initiated and developed since 2010.
The development of the Enlightening Parenting Module continued through various parenting-related activities, including training, consulting, and book writing.
“I developed a parenting module that I had actually been building since 2010. I then wanted to make it scientifically proven, so I made it part of my dissertation,” she explained.
Through her doctoral research, Okina examined the effectiveness of the Enlightening Parenting Module. The findings showed that the module was effective in increasing parents’ parenting self-efficacy while reducing the tendency toward violent behavior toward children.
Okina officially completed her doctoral studies in 2025 and attended her graduation ceremony in early 2026. This achievement further underscores the contribution of UGM alumni in developing evidence-based solutions to strengthen family resilience and parenting in Indonesia.
Report: Nur Amalina Naada Sabrina
Writer: Fadia Hayu Godwina
Editor: Erna Tri Nofiyana
Photo: Personal Documentation