Biography: Danita V. Knight

Danita V. Knight assumed the position of president and chief executive officer for the YWCA Greater Atlanta on January 3. She previously served as vice president for communications and marketing at Agnes Scott College. Prior to joining Agnes Scott, Knight was a marketing, communications, public relations and fundraising consultant for various non-profits, colleges and political campaigns in Atlanta. Knight is a past board chairperson of the Atlanta Women’s Foundation (and the first Black boardchair of that foundation). She was also chairperson of the 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011 Atlanta Women’s Foundation “Numbers Too Big to Ignore” fundraising luncheons. The 2011 luncheon raised $1million - at that time, the largest amount raised for a luncheon in the organization’s history. Other activities include Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated; the National Center for Civil and Human Rights Women’s Solidarity Society; Advisory Board Member for Lending Hearts, a non-profit in Pittsburgh focused on recreational activities for adolescents with cancer, and various political campaigns and committees. Knight was part of the original group of “seed funders” responsible for bringing the women’s professional basketball team - the WNBA Dream – to Atlanta. Knight has also served as vice president for public affairs and community relations at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Indianapolis, Indiana; director of public relations at Anthem, Inc.(Indianapolis, Indiana); director of communications for the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce; deputy director for communications and public affairs for the Council of State Governments(Lexington, Kentucky); director of media and public relations for the United Way of Central Iowa(Des Moines, Iowa); assistant, speech writer, scheduler, and public relations director to Iowa’s first female Lieutenant Governor (Jo Ann Zimmerman); information specialist for the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women; and public relations manager for the Iowa Department of Elder Affairs. She started her career as a student morning news anchor and reporter at KOMU-TV in Columbia, Missouri. Knight is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism, where she majored in broadcast (television) journalism. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, former Atlanta Hawks General Manager Billy Knight. The Knights have two adult daughters: Erika and Olivia and “wonderful grandchildren.”