Crystal Hadnott
Twitter & Instagram: @CrystalHadnott
Crystal D. Hadnott, is the Vice President, Strategic Programs of Ebony Media Operations, the parent company of EBONY/JET magazines, the world’s oldest and largest African American publication company, where she established the HBCU Initiatives as well as the EBONY Media Operations Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization and serves of the foundation’s Executive Director.
Inflectionally known as an advocate, connector and influencer, Crystal has also worked for the betterment of those who are most forgotten. Prior to current position at EBONY/JET, she was able to do that and more in her role as Principal Investigator at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, an organization that provides scholarships, capacity-building and endowment-building assistance as well as educational, leadership development and employment programs to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). She was directly responsible for the acquisition and management of approximately ten million dollars in federal funds annually, which supported all forty-seven (47) public HBCUs and PBIs across the nation as well as the Virgin Islands. She continued her work with HBCUs when selected as the Executive Director/President of the Prairie View A&M University Foundation, where she was directly responsible for the development, growth and management of the 50 million capital campaign as well as other funding initiatives. Crystal Hadnott has also worked tirelessly at Vinson & Elkins, LLP, the Houston Housing Authority, the American Heart Association as well as Houston’s City Hall. She has worked on over twenty (20) political campaigns on the local, county, state, national and international levels. Crystal has also served as a Precinct Judge as well as an Election Judge for Harris County in the State of Texas.
Crystal is two-time entrepreneur. She became the founding consultant of Hadnott Consulting & Associates (HCA) in 2004, a full-service government relations consultancy firm, which has represented clients in the political, non-profit, and small business arenas across the nation. Following this passion in 2011, Crystal started Synergy Total Holistic Health & Wellness, a comprehensive yet intimate company with the goal of creating customized life solutions for individuals from an integrated health and holistic wellness approach by providing a variety of fitness services, health programs and wellness products. During the developmental phases of Synergy, she recognized a need to properly education the public on health and wellness initiatives as well as offer services to disadvantaged populations, which gave birth to the concept of Synergy Inspire, a non-profit organization. She currently expanding her personal brand through her journey as an athlete, where she’s completed over 100 marathons. She will be sharing her story in her book, The Finish Line was Just the Start: The Trials & Trails of Crystal Hadnott.
She is proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, has an affiliation with other professional organizations as well a philanthropist for several other organizations. She has been a radio personality on “Dialogue with Ada” on KPFT 90.1 FM, MAJIC 102.1 FM, 97.9 FM THE BOXX, Praise 92.1 FM and NEWS 92 FM. She currently the co-host on “Dialogue with Ada” on Amazing 102.5 FM.
Crystal received her Bachelors in Political Science from the University of Houston, Masters of Public Administration and Administration of Justice Doctoral degree at the Mickey Leland/Barbara Jordan School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University. In addition, she has published several scholarly journal articles and newspaper articles as well as presented at numerous professional conferences across the country.
Crystal has been featured on CNN, ABC and NBC along with several national radio programs and newspapers. Recently, she was named Houston’s Top 40 under 40 along with Houston’s Most Influential Women.
Followed her on Twitter and Instagram @CrystalHadnott.