Ditra Edwards serves as the deputy director of the Communities Creating Healthy Environments National Program Office. Ditra has centered her life's work on working with communities of color to fight for justice. A skilled trainer, facilitator, community organizer, fundraiser and strategist, Ditra brings a high level of integrity to all of her work.

From 1999 to 2005, Ditra was on the staff of LISTEN, Inc., where she also served as Executive Director. Under Ditra's leadership the organization grew tremendously. She secured and managed the National Roots Initiative for two years in partnership with the Funders Collaborative on youth organizing.

As Director of Training and Youth Development at LISTEN, Ditra was responsible for the design and implementation of the Global Exchange Program, which connected youth activists from the United States with their counterparts in other countries to learn about leadership and democracy. At LISTEN, Ditra also helped incubate Youth Education Alliance (YEA), a D.C.-based youth organizing group fighting for equality education in D.C. Public Schools. YEA has recently transitioned into an independence organization. Additionally, during her tenure at LISTEN, Ditra help to co-create the national network of youth workers and organizers called Building Leadership Organizing Communities.

Presently Ditra serves on the boards of the Design Studio for Social Innovation and The Youth Education Alliance. Ditra has been a recipient of the Salzburg Seminar Fellowship, Session 366 on Urban Youth and the Smithsonian Institute, Museum Leadership Award.