Drawing upon more than 45 years of professional excellence, Alexis Soyini Crawford, who holds a doctorate in strategic leadership with a concentration on and certification in global consulting from Regent University, is a pioneering figure in education and religious services. Growing up during the 1960s, Dr. Crawford notes that women were not often provided with educational opportunities to advance themselves, and she sought to make a revolutionary difference. The first to graduate from college in her family, she earned a Bachelor of Science in health and physical education from the College of New Jersey in 1972 and served as a health and physical education public school teacher for 20 years. During this time, she discovered the need to provide additional support and resources to students. As such, Dr. Crawford founded Project Hope, an outreach, after-school program designed to give underprivileged students a safe space to work and play during after-school hours.
Serving at the helm of Project Hope for 13 years while pursuing her educational career, Dr. Crawford held ambitions to expand the scope of the program to her community at large. In doing so, she received a Master of Arts in urban missions from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1993 and a Master of Science in educational leadership and administration from Monmouth University in 2001. Equipped with an unequivocal drive to make a difference in children’s lives, she founded the Hope Academy Charter School in 2001, serving as the chief school administrator for 13 years.
During this time, Dr. Crawford attained much success in her entrepreneurial endeavors, having served as a consultant to individuals and businesses in the educational, ministerial, and business sectors. As such, she partnered with companies, such as Power 2 Live, Power 2 Learn Group, and founded several of her own companies. In 2012, she established ASC Ministry Enterprises in Asbury Park, New Jersey, where she provides consulting and leadership training services to help entrepreneurs and those in leadership roles. Likewise, she offers resources such as teaching, consulting, and podcasts to share her illuminating insight. In 2021, she also became the chief executive officer and owner of Salt & Light Publications.
Congruent to her professional efforts, Dr. Crawford is a published author, having written several books on religion, leadership, and business. Most recently, she penned “God’s Prophetic Strategy: A Blueprint for Building Leaders,” “On the Page with Leadership: Insights for Ministry and the Marketplace,” both published in 2021, and “Building A Kingdom Culture: Transforming Workplaces Through Kingdom Principles,” published in 2023. Previously, she wrote “Up! From Abuse: Healing to the Broken Heart and the Binding Up of Sorrows” in 2015 and “The Anatomy of Hope: A Visionary Educational Response to Poverty” in 2007.
Although she has experienced numerous career achievements, Dr. Crawford is particularly proud of establishing the Hope Academy Charter School, which benefitted not only the students who attended the academy but also their parents, who often sought to achieve their own educational goals. For her success, Dr. Crawford credits the influential support and encouragement of her parents, who always believed in her ambition to succeed. In this regard, her mother inspired her to continue moving forward, even when faced with challenges. To commemorate her accomplishments, Dr. Crawford has garnered prestigious accolades, including the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Heroine Award from Monmouth University and the Educational Achievement Award from the Central Jersey Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club. Impressively, Dr. Crawford received recognition from the New Jersey State Senate for her commitment to progress, leadership, and community service, which garnered her admission into her high school Hall of Fame.
In the future, Dr. Crawford plans to travel abroad to provide workshops and leadership consultations on a more significant scale. To this end, she endeavors to help individuals and businesses find purpose and succeed. Outside of these efforts, Dr. Crawford intends to establish compounds in Africa in partnership with the Apostolic Center of New Jersey, which will allow opportunities for individuals to gain marketable skills and become more self-sufficient in its living quarters and academic institutions. Living and working by the Biblical reference John 4:17, “As He is, so also are we in this world,” Dr. Crawford remains dedicated to enhancing the world by creating more accessible prospects for others to thrive.