Dr. Indira Henard is a transformative executive leader and nationally recognized expert with more than 30 years of experience driving systemic change at the intersections of gender-based violence, social justice, and public policy. She serves as President and CEO of the DC Rape Crisis Center, the nation’s oldest rape crisis center. Under her leadership, the organization has been revitalized into an award-winning, internationally recognized model of excellence—named a “Best Place to Work” and inducted into the Business Hall of Fame.
Dr. Henard’s influence extends across sectors, positioning her as a trusted advisor to senior leaders in government and industry. She was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Defense to serve as Co-Chair of a Presidential commission on military sexual assault, helping shape national defense policy and institutional reform. Her expertise is also sought by global companies, including TikTok and Uber, where she advises on trust, safety, and risk mitigation strategies to strengthen platform integrity and protect users worldwide.
A pioneering force in global public health, Dr. Henard has led initiatives with measurable international impact. She spearheaded the strategy to establish the first rape crisis center in Lagos, Nigeria, creating a critical support system for millions. Her work has also shaped major global initiatives, including USAID’s Bersama Program in Indonesia, and advanced cross-sector coalitions leveraging technology to expand services for refugees and survivors of violence.
Her public service career includes roles as a Congressional Social Work Fellow for John Lewis and as a Special Assistant in the U.S. Senate Office of Barack Obama. Earlier in her career, she helped secure a $200 million federal appropriation, and advanced state-level education policy through her work with the National Governors Association.
Dr. Henard continues to shape the field through board leadership, academic engagement, and thought leadership. She serves on the Uber Safety Advisory Board, and the Board of Trustees for Wheaton College (MA), and holds adjunct faculty appointments at Howard University and The Catholic University of America, where she helps prepare the next generation of social work leaders.
Her leadership has earned national recognition. She has been named a “Top Ten Leader” by Fortune Times and recognized by World Leader Magazine, Women We Admire, and Pinnacle Magazine. In 2020, she received the Washington Women of Excellence Award, presented by Muriel Bowser, and was named one of the Washington Business Journal’s “People on the Move.” She has also been recognized by Essence Magazine as one of four African American women leading sexual violence work, named by Washington City Paper as one of 20 people making a difference in Washington, DC, honored as a “Washingtonian of the Year,” and awarded the Washington Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Award.
Dr. Henard’s voice and expertise are featured across national and international media, including CNN, USA Today, The Washington Post, NBC Washington, ABC Washington, Fox DC, WHUR Radio, Essence, The Root, Complex, AOL, Business Daily Online, and Ventures Africa. She has also been interviewed by The Cut, amplifying critical conversations on sexual violence and social justice.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wheaton College (MA), a Master of Social Work from The Catholic University of America, and a Doctorate of Social Work from the University of Southern California. Her extended education includes fellowships with Duke University’s Ralph Bunche Institute, the Congressional Truman Fellowship, the Charles Hamilton Houston Fellowship at Georgetown University Law Center, the Starr International Fellowship at Nelson Mandela University, and the Shannon Institute at the Wilder Foundation.
Dr. Henard’s leadership is defined by clarity, discipline, and impact—combining executive strategy with a deep commitment to equity and justice. Through her work, she continues to drive structural change and expand what is possible for communities worldwide.