Don Cravins, Jr.

Don Cravins, Jr.
Senior Vice President for Policy & Executive Director, National Urban League Washington Bureau

Twitter: @DCravins

Don Cravins, Jr. is a native of Southwest Louisiana and attended college at Louisiana State University where he graduated in 1994 with a degree in Political Science. Upon graduation, he attended the Southern University Law Center. He was a member of the Moot Court Board and Law Review and served as President of the Student Bar Association. He graduated with honors in 1998. Upon graduation from law school, and while studying for the Louisiana bar exam, Don served as the Deputy Campaign Manager for then U.S. Senator John Breaux.

Since 1998, Don has been a practicing attorney. He has practiced in the areas of commercial litigation, personal injury, complex litigation and military law. In 2004, he was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives. At that time, he and his father, State Senator Don Cravins, Sr., made Louisiana history by becoming the only father and son to serve in the Louisiana Legislature at the same time. In 2006, Don was elected to the Louisiana Senate for the seat vacated by his father. In 2007, he was reelected to the senate with over 70 percent of the vote. During his tenure in the Senate, Don served as the Chairman of the Insurance Committee, Vice Chairman of the Retirement Committee and as an active member of the Juvenile Justice Commission of Louisiana. In 2008, he ran for Congress in the 7th Congressional District of Louisiana.

In January of 2009, Don began serving as Staff Director and Chief Counsel for the United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. As Staff Director and Chief Counsel, he oversaw the activities of the Committee, developed policy and legislation affecting small businesses and also advised its Chairman and the 19 members of the Committee. In January of 2013, Don accepted a new role and began serving as Chief of Staff for U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana. As such, he was responsible for the administrative responsibilities of the Senator’s office and worked closely with her to review all legislative and political initiatives.

In January of 2015, he left Capitol Hill and became the Deputy National Political Director at The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). In his role, he was responsible for conducting educational briefings with candidates for federal office, organizing and speaking at political briefings and tracking and analyzing local campaign activity. His efforts focused on educating and engaging new and current activists to facilitate pro-Israel activism in their communities.

On July 7, 2015, Don was named the National Urban League’s Senior Vice President for Policy and Executive Director of the National Urban League’s Washington Bureau. His primary responsibilities include developing the League’s policy, research and advocacy agenda and expanding its impact and influence inside the Capital Beltway. He is also devoted to the League’s mission to empower communities through education and economic development.

In addition to his duties at the National Urban League, Don is an adjunct professor at The George Washington University where he teaches Judicial Politics in The Graduate School of Political Management. He also serves as a Major in the District of Columbia Army National Guard Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps with the 352nd Legal Operations Detachment. Don sits as a Trustee for the Keystone Policy Center and as a Board Member of Louisiana Youth Seminar.

Don’s honors include being named a Distinguished Alumnus of Louisiana State University in 2015 and a Distinguished Alumnus of the Southern University Law Center in 2015. He received The Army Commendation Medal in 2014 and The Army Achievement Medal in 2012.

Don and his wife, Attorney Yvette Puckett Cravins (Class of ’96), have three children Dominique Claire (18), Trey (16) and Chloe Denise (7). Yvette serves as Chief of Staff for Congressman William Lacy Clay, Jr. of Missouri. He and his family currently reside in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.