Official Bio

Dr. LaDonna Butler,  Licensed Mental Health Counselor - Qualified Supervisor (LMHC-QS) and a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator (CDWF) is centered, called, and committed to our collective wellbeing. She is the Founder and Executive Director of The Well and Associate Program Director at the University of South Florida's Family Study Center, serving as Principle Investigator for the Reckoning with Race project. Dr. Butler previously served as an Organizer and Senior Manager for a national social justice organization, leading public safety narratives centering survivor experiences.  As a survivor-leader,  she's featured in Time Magazine, New York Times, Tampa bay Times, ABC, FOX news and cited in the edited works of Deran Young, Tarana Burke and Brene' Brown.

Her curated experiences (including Healing While Black & The Equity Summit) feature industry leaders like, Dr. Joy DeGruy, Tim Wise, Dr. Marva Lewis, Rhonda McGhee, Dr. Kent Butler, Robert Rooks, Charles Dew, artists Saddi Kahili, Brittanie Dial, Eris Eady and many others. Training, organizing and supporting leaders, learners and survivors alike both nationally and internationally, she is known for her capacity to create healing spaces that influence policies, practices and budgets.

Dr. Butler has invested two decades of work exploring and leading collective healing , safety, justice and joy strategies among marginalized populations. Dr. Butler is the mother of 5 of the most beautiful and brilliant children; Imari, Kira, Mason, Oren, and Quinci, and resides in sunny St. Petersburg, Fl.