Dr. Crystal D. Gardner is an experienced educator with a record of success in improving school systems and championing culturally responsive professional development at the secondary and postsecondary level. She currently serves as the Workforce Instruction Program Director for the Houston Community College Department of Workforce Research and Development. In this role, Dr. Gardner oversees a number of specialized projects, which include the Alignment of Credit and Non-Credit programming and the Perkins State Leadership Grant. She received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Prairie View A&M University and both a master’s degree and doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Texas Southern University.