Krystal Crawford
The University of West Georgia is proud to celebrate alumna Krystal Crawford ’95 as she steps into her newest leadership role as chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, a role in which she will lead operations across 125 counties.
With a career spanning more than 25 years in nonprofit leadership and youth advocacy, Crawford brings both vision and experience to an organization serving thousands of girls and volunteers across three states. Her path to executive leadership was shaped in part by her time at UWG’s College of Education, where she earned a degree in recreation and corporate fitness and was honored as West Georgia College Sports Woman of the Year in 1992.
“My time at West Georgia taught me to work hard and to be driven,” she said. “Being on the softball team and in the Alpha Xi Delta sorority taught me the power of relationships, to show up for people and to honor your commitments. It shaped my core values and character as a human being.”
Crawford’s professional journey has taken her through a variety of impactful roles – from advancing family wellness programs for the U.S. Army to leading YMCA operations across southeast Georgia. Most recently, she served as chief operating officer for the YMCA of Coastal Georgia, becoming the first woman to hold the position and overseeing 11 branches throughout the region. Her tenure there was marked by expanded outreach, improved member services and stronger partnerships with businesses and community leaders.
In addition to her executive experience, Crawford has served as a policy contributor on childcare issues and worked on initiatives addressing youth violence as a member of Georgia’s Governor’s Gang Prevention Task Force. She also partnered with the WNBA to deliver Her Time to Play, a program that empowers girls through basketball and leadership development.
Now, as CEO of the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, she will be responsible for leading programs and operations across 125 counties – spanning Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama – and serving more than 7,000 girls and nearly 4,000 adult members.
“I feel incredibly humbled and honored to be chosen for this role,” she said. “It aligns with everything I feel passionate about. When you follow your passions, you end up where you’re supposed to be.”
Beyond her professional accolades, Crawford is a graduate of both Leadership Southeast Georgia and Leadership Augusta. She has received multiple leadership honors, including three consecutive Lenn Reed Leadership Awards through her involvement with Alpha Xi Delta. She continues to invest in her community through service with local boards and civic organizations such as Rotary Club of Savannah South.
In her new position, Crawford said she will work to empower girls and strengthen the impact of the organization.
“My number one goal is to amplify our vision and our mission for the Girl Scouts,” she said. “It’s about creating confident and competent girls who are ready to lead tomorrow. We want to make sure our programs remain relevant to their needs and to show up and be a good model for them. The girls are always our first priority.”
To learn how an academic program at UWG could change the trajectory of your life, visit westga.edu.
