CCBC welcomes award-winning author and leadership expert, Danita Crawford, as the keynote speaker for the 2026 President’s Distinguished African American Lecture Series. The event takes place 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 26, Robert and Eleanor Romadka College Center, CCBC Essex.
With more than two decades of experience across government, education and nonprofits, Crawford is a specialist in executive leadership and strategic crisis management. She is well known for her critical work as Director of Crisis Recovery and Resilience Initiatives following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy in Parkland, Florida, where she led trauma-informed recovery efforts and coordinated multi-agency partnerships to restore stability and trust.
A South Florida Top Educator and recipient of the Jacqueline L. Whitman Distinguished Service Award, Crawford is committed to helping leaders and students lead with confidence, compassion and purpose. She is the co-author of Leading with a Growth Mindset: Unlocking Your Potential. She is also the co-founder of The DS Collective, a leadership development firm dedicated to empowering organizational leaders at all experience levels to cultivate resilience.
Director, Communications