Takirra Winfield Dixon Joins Democrats for Education Reform as National Communications Director
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) announced the hiring of Takirra Winfield Dixon as National Communications Director. Takirra joins DFER after serving as the Director of Strategic Media Initiatives at the U.S. Department of Education. As we enter a pivotal time for the future of American public education, Takirra will take a leading role in shaping DFER’s national and state-level communications strategy.
“Our public education system faces an uncertain future over the next four years, and with so much at stake for our students and communities, our work is more important now than ever before,” said DFER National President Shavar Jeffries. “That’s why I couldn’t be more proud to bring Takirra into the DFER family to help strengthen our voice in this continuing fight to support our most vulnerable students and communities and to protect the dignity of every human being in this country.”
Takirra brings over a decade of experience at the highest levels. She has dedicated her career to advancing policies and causes that align with DFER’s core progressive values of fostering an inclusive, equitable, and high quality public education system that serves every child in this country. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, Takirra worked in senior roles for Teach For America and with Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley. She has also served as a communications consultant for leading groups and principals, including Black Lives Matter activist DeRay McKesson and worked on education-related communications projects with Academy Award and Grammy Award winning artist John Legend.
“I am looking forward to serving with many talented and dedicated people who believe in the true promise of an excellent education for all students, especially our nation’s most underserved communities and communities of color,” said Takirra Winfield Dixon. “I believe that there is dignity in every human soul, that each one of us can make a difference, and all of us must try. In today’s education landscape, we need more togetherness and less divisiveness. I am most excited about implementing communications strategies that work to find common ground, lift kids and communities up, and tell the authentic stories of change-makers across the country. DFER sits at a critical intersection of community, education and policy; together, we can build on the historic and hard-won progress under President Obama.”
Takirra Winfield Dixon Biography
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Takirra Winfield Dixon most recently served as an appointee of President Obama and Director of Strategic Media Initiatives for U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. Before joining the Obama Administration, she served as Vice President of National Communications for Teach For America. She served for nearly six years as a member of Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley’s administration – joining as communications aide and leaving state service as the governor’s press secretary. A proud graduate of Howard University, Takirra obtained an M.A. in Intercultural Communication with a certification in International Affairs. She is also a proud graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, where she earned a B.A. in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and a certification in African American Studies.
She can be reached at: takirra@dfer.org or (202) 854-9624.
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Contact: Takirra Winfield Dixon — takirra@dfer.org, 202-854-9624