Doni Crawford is an Independent at-large member of the Council of the District of Columbia, appointed on January 20, 2026, to succeed Kenyan McDuffie following his resignation to run in the 2026 Washington, D.C., mayoral election. She previously worked as a staffer in McDuffie's office, serving as policy advisor, legislative director, and director for the council's Committee on Business and Economic Development. Crawford re-registered as an Independent in fall 2025 ahead of her appointment and resides in the Carver Langston neighborhood in Northeast Washington, D.C. Her tenure lasts until a special election on June 16, 2026; she announced her campaign for the seat on February 12, 2026.

Notable achievements include leading FY2026 budget oversight for business and economic development, securing investments for small businesses and commercial corridors; negotiating the Commanders stadium redevelopment deal with community benefits and local hiring; authoring research at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute that helped secure $41 million in pandemic relief for excluded workers; and advancing legislation on racial and economic inequities. Her work has appeared in Time Magazine, CNN, and The Washington Post.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Hispanic Languages and Literatures; Master of Public and International Affairs, both from the University of Pittsburgh.
• Professional Experience:
  • Program manager at Neighborhood Allies , 2014–2019, managing community revitalization and multi-million-dollar grants.
  • Policy analyst/senior policy analyst at DC Fiscal Policy Institute, 2019–2022, focusing on fiscal policy, racial equity, and pandemic relief.
  • Policy advisor, legislative director, and committee director in Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie's office, 2022–2026.
  • At-large Councilmember, District of Columbia Council, January 2026–present.