Originally from Syracuse, New York, Dr. Craig Evans started his career as a public school music teacher and freelance musician in Orlando, FL. He became a school administrator and served as an assistant principal and principal in Orlando and Ithaca, NY public school districts. Dr. Evans also served as an assistant superintendent in Ithaca, overseeing several areas of the school district, including mentoring school principals and supervising the district’s arts programs, among other responsibilities. He conducted the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra (Orlando) for several years, leading them in performances at Carnegie Hall and on a European tour. He continues to be active as a freelance musician and conductor.
Dr. Evans holds a Bachelor’s of Music Education from Ithaca College, a Master’s Degree in Performance (Violin) from the Florida State University, a Masters of Music Education from Florida State, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, with a specialization in education law from the University of Central Florida.
Since 2004, Dr. Evans has served as a philanthropy leader in higher education, holding positions at Ithaca College, Syracuse University, and Wells College. He is currently the associate dean for development and external affairs at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. He also served as the executive director of the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools (Florida), an organization that engages the local business community with the public schools. His philanthropic expertise includes planned giving, major giving, and working with complex gifts. Before arriving at Johns Hopkins University, he was the vice president for development at the Rochester Regional Health Foundations, where he oversaw fundraising activities in support of a five-hospital health system in western New York State.
Dr. Evans has over 30 years of experience leading and developing teams and new leaders. In 2021, he completed an International Coaching Federation-approved leadership coaching training series. He has been actively coaching new and seasoned leaders for the past 18 months to help them grow their performance and their teams.
