Dustin Daniels

Testimonials

“Dustin is a fighter for social change and a powerful communicator. He is made of great character and conviction, and these virtues shine bright on those he comes into contact with. "
BEN CRUMP, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY

“Mr. Daniels has the unique ability to be both worldly and relatable and he is a joy to observe. The only thing more apparent than his keen intellect is his sincere passion for challenging and supporting others through education.”
DR. SANDRA MILES, INDIANA UNIVERSITY PURDUE UNIVERSITY COLUMBUS (IN)

“Dustin’s diverse global experiences give him insights that few others can command. His message is one we could all benefit from hearing.”
JAMES KASSAGA ARINAITWE, TEACH FOR UGANDA

“He is a dynamic speaker whose powerful personal story stimulates both students and university leadership in an extremely compelling way.”
CHRIS MARKL, ANDREW YOUNG SCHOOL OF POLICY STUDIES, GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Dustin grew up in an impoverished area of Central Florida, where life trajectories and dreams for many don’t venture far from the struggles of drug addiction, violence, and poverty. His mother and grandmother were disabled for the majority of his life, his family often struggled to provide for their own basic needs, and he experienced his first contact with the criminal justice system at the age of 12.

Dustin was lucky enough to have a family who emphasized the importance of education and encouraged him to be better than his surroundings. Through hard work, focus, and a great deal of privilege, he was not shackled by these challenges, and achieved an improbable life trajectory.

He became the first person in his family to graduate from high school, and attended Florida State University (FSU) where he served as Student Body President. He went on to complete his Graduate work at the London School of Economics and the Broad Center for Urban Education.

Dustin Daniels is a leader in strategy management, operations, and public affairs that has worked in senior roles in government, education, business, and the non-profit sector in over 10 countries.

Dustin has previously served in positions such as chief of staff and director of intergovernmental affairs for the City of Tallahassee FL, and as Head of Strategy for Hillsborough County Public Schools (7th Largest School District in the Nation). He has also has coached and trained business executives, political candidates, senior education system leaders, and elected officials at all levels of government.

Dustin has also served as a teaching faculty member at Florida State University’s College of Social Science and Public Policy, designing and teaching coursework related to interdisciplinary social policy and international economics.

From the values and gratitude forged by his life circumstances, Dustin remains passionate about advancing meaningful change in the lives of people, regardless of their site or situation. From equipping young elected leaders with innovative policy ideas; reimagining systems to rapidly improve vulnerable and underperforming K12 schools; helping small non-profits to achieve financial sustainability; to advancing business development and training programs for start-ups and business executives; Dustin has acquired diverse and powerful lessons that he uses to create scale impact with those he works with.