Biography
Danette Gerald Howard, Ph.D., is the global director of education and corporate responsibility at Cummins, Inc. and the Cummins Foundation. She oversees Cummins READY, a comprehensive strategy aimed at helping over one million learners and workers embark on successful educational and career pathways.
Before joining Cummins, Howard served as senior vice president and chief policy and strategy officer at Lumina Foundation, where she managed initiatives to boost the attainment of postsecondary degrees and credentials in the U.S. She played a key role in shaping state and federal policy, with a focus on racial equity and justice through Lumina’s Equity First strategy.
Earlier in her career, Howard was the Secretary of Higher Education in Maryland, leading the Maryland Higher Education Commission. In this role, she managed statewide financial aid programs, approved new academic initiatives, and provided counsel to state leadership on higher education matters.
Howard is a recognized expert in education policy, having also served as the director of research and policy analysis at the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
She holds a summa cum laude degree from Howard University, where she currently serves on the Board of Trustees, as well as a master’s degree from Harvard University and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland.