Biography

Mrs. Benita King is an accomplished and versatile higher-education leader with a distinguished career at Howard University, recognized for her expertise in operations, program and project management, institutional strategy, and innovation infrastructure building. She brings a systems-level approach to leadership, with a strong focus on scalability, equity-centered impact, and cross-functional collaboration.

Mrs. King holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a Minor in Psychology, a Master of Science in Management with a specialization in Project Management, and a Master of Business Administration, all from the University of Maryland. She is currently pursuing a Master of Health Administration (MHA) at Howard University, further strengthening her expertise in academic medicine, health systems, and organizational leadership.

She currently serves as the Administrative Director of the Center for Innovation (CFI) at the Howard University College of Medicine, where she leads the operational, administrative, and strategic foundation of a newly launched, interdisciplinary innovation center. In this role, Mrs. King oversees center operations, staffing and organizational design, budget and resource management, program development, and stakeholder engagement across faculty, students, institutional leadership, and external partners. She plays a central role in shaping CFI’s research, data, and Biodesign initiatives, aligning the Center’s work with health-equity priorities, academic medicine goals, and national innovation frameworks. Her leadership has been instrumental in translating vision into executable structures, policies, and programs during the Center’s formative phase.

Prior to her work with the College of Medicine, Mrs. King held senior leadership roles within Howard University’s College of Arts and Sciences, including Director of Operations and Executive Assistant/Program Manager. In these roles, she oversaw day-to-day operations for the University’s largest college, led administrative training and professional development initiatives, managed complex programs and projects, and served as a strategic partner to senior leadership. Her work strengthened operational efficiency, improved process alignment, and enhanced the college’s capacity to manage growth and institutional priorities.

Mrs. King also served as Project Coordinator for Howard University’s Middle States Institutional Accreditation Self-Study, where she provided interpretive guidance on accreditation standards, coordinated institutional documentation, and supported university-wide compliance and review efforts. Her work contributed to the successful execution of a critical, high-stakes accreditation process.

Across all roles, Mrs. King is known for her strategic judgment, operational rigor, and ability to build sustainable structures that support academic excellence, innovation, and equity-driven outcomes.