Chrystal Okonta

Chrystal Okonta is a Director on FGS Global’s Health team, bringing a decade of experience across public health education, communications, and project management.

At FGS Global, Chrystal creates and manages strategic communication plans for a variety of health clients, including advocacy groups, universities, health systems, and biotechnology companies. She helps them focus their messages, translating jargon into plain language and recommending communications tactics that resonate with their audiences.

Prior to joining the firm, Chrystal worked at the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, serving as a consumer and media resource on how to safely handle food to avoid foodborne illness. She promoted the agency’s innovative consumer behavior research and designed a comprehensive consumer education plan for the Under Secretary for Food Safety. In a previous role, Chrystal served as an Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Washington University in St. Louis, managing over 20 admissions officers’ domestic travel and recruitment strategies. She is a seasoned presenter, recruiter, application reviewer and selection committee member. Chrystal has also worked as a public health educator and as a research assistant for public health promotion campaigns.

Chrystal holds a BA in Biology from Washington University in St. Louis and an MSPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and she is a Certified Health Education Specialist. Chrystal now lives in Washington, D.C., and is grateful that Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams has opened up several locations in the area since her move.