Crystal Davis
Alliance for the Great Lakes
Crystal M.C. Davis is a respected professional with a career in government affairs that bloomed in Columbus, Ohio and Washington D.C. Crystal is currently with the Alliance for the Great Lakes as its Vice President of Policy & Strategic Engagement, leading the organization’s efforts related to Lake Erie, drinking water policy advocacy and relationship building across the region. In this role, Crystal has spearheaded the Alliance’s commitment to diverse engagement of Great Lakes communities and authored the organization’s seminal report Step One: Shut Up and Listen. She also developed and executed the organization’s environmental policy and strategy on Lake Erie water quality issues. Moreover, in 2016 Crystal founded the Thornton Buckeye Group, which is a government relations and public affairs firm that provides clients tactical advocacy, policy, communications and other related services. Crystal has developed local, state and national clients. To return to Greater Cleveland, Crystal left a position in D.C. as the Federal Relations Director for Kent State University, where she established KSU’s federal office and policy agenda on Capitol Hill. Her previous experience includes stints with the Ohio House of Representatives, the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Crystal is a graduate of Kent State University, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., winner of the 2015 Ohio TRiO Trailblazer Award, an Environmental Commissioner for the City of Twinsburg, Ohio, Ohio Lake Erie Commissioner and 2018 Crain’s Cleveland Business 40 under 40 Honoree. She is an Akron, Ohio native and now lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband and their two young children.