Tracie F. Craft
Deputy Director of Advocacy
Tracie F. Craft joined BAEO in 2003, and she currently serves as the Deputy Director of Advocacy. In this role she is responsible for supporting the National team in leading the on-the-ground outreach efforts across BAEO states. She also provides supervision and management for state-based work. Prior to her current position within BAEO, Ms. Craft served as the State Director for Ohio from March 2006 - August 2012. In this capacity Craft and the Ohio team played an instrumental part in expanding Ohio's Educational Choice Scholarship Program in addition to leading advocacy efforts centered on Education Reform and other parental choice options available within the state.
Over the years, Ms. Craft successfully implemented and hosted programs and workshops that encourage effective parental involvement strategies. She's testified numerous times in support of legislation that provides or protects parental choice options for Ohio families. She works tirelessly with education and community organizations to ensure that the parent voice is always represented when making decisions that affect children. As a staunch advocate for children and parental choice, Craft lead the efforts that brought BAEO to Ohio.
In 2004, Ms. Craft received the "Unsung Hero" award; the first of it's kind given within the BAEO organization. Ms. Craft has dedicated numerous hours to volunteering at local private, public and charter schools, has tutored underprivileged youth in grades K-12 and instructed BAEO's basic computer training course for low-income parents.
She continues to serve on various committees and community boards including:
- Fund for Ohio's Future - Board Member
- Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools - Advisory Board Member
- Black Alliance for Educational Options, Life Member
Her mission in life is to serve others while helping individuals seek to maximize their full potential through persistence, patience and perseverance. She attends Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church and currently resides in Dayton, Ohio.
Ms. Craft has two daughters Jasmine Marie and Daaryn'ah Jaye.