Crystal German, Vice Chair

About Crystal

Crystal German, an accomplished economic inclusion executive, has dedicated her career to surfacing innovative approaches to shift the thinking and behavior that undervalues communities of color. With a career spanning several notable organizations, she has been blessed to serve in roles that champion economic empowerment and ownership for all and drive resources towards building healthy and sustainable communities.

Crystal currently serves as an Executive Vice President at the Center for Community Self-Help, one of the nation’s largest CDFIs that serves over 190,000 members with its credit union operations. Crystal’s primary responsibilities include the mortgage credit functions, marketing and communications, and resource development.

Her professional journey includes founding a boutique economic inclusion consulting firm, serving as the Vice President for Minority Business Accelerator and Economic Inclusion at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, and Director of Finance for the Institute of Minority Economic Development. Crystal’s commitment extends beyond her professional roles. She actively contributes to environmental justice advocacy as a board member of Climate United, addressing critical climate change and sustainability challenges. Additionally, she is a community steward with the Triangle Community Foundation, actively participating in philanthropic efforts for positive community transformation.

A proud HBCU graduate, Crystal holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Florida A&M University.  She earned her MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and now calls North Carolina home with her husband, teenage daughter and adorable pit-bull terrier, August Whiskey.