Daynah J. Blake, Senior Administrative Specialist - Blake began her career at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering assisting with the administrative tasks of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. She swiftly advanced to the role of Graduate Program Associate, and during the pandemic, she adeptly managed to streamline processes to address the challenges posed by this global event. She worked diligently with the Graduate Program Chair to quadruple enrollment and improve student retention while in this role. Her successes prompted her promotion to her current position.

Today Blake is a dedicated Business Administrator, overseeing the Operations and Facilities Management at the Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response (RIDER) Center. Since her promotion in 2022, she has played a pivotal role in the center’s growth, achieving a twofold increase since her tenure began. She excels in organizing, developing, managing, and implementing policies and procedures for grant and general revenue expenditures across two state university systems. She has successfully managed secure and productive hybrid, in-person, and remote work environments. Additionally, she conducts center tours, organizes workshops, and hosts events for local, state, and federal stakeholders. Blake collaborates closely with the marketing and communication team to create synergy between the center, the community, and our stakeholders.

Blake has a passion for promoting research that can improve the local community with global application potential. She believes in the “think BIG, start small” process to success. She is actively engaged in initiatives that promote community engagement and equal access to preventative as well as recovery assistance for the underserved areas of Florida. She understands the power of knowledge, research, and support combined with experience, communication, and application of proven outcomes.

“At RIDER we have a proven track record of impactful research and a strong desire to improve the resilience of our communities that are affected by disasters, and other challenges, both natural and man-made. We have a diverse group of Faculty, Post Docs, and Graduate Research Assistants from all over the world. RIDER’s dynamic team contributes to a multidisciplinary collaboration environment for research. We are home to the true ‘CoLab’ experience, which houses multiple disciplines of research all in one room without walls. We welcome your visit and support here at RIDER anytime!”

Other Achievements:

Director of Homeowner Advocacy and Advisor for Munroe and Munroe Money and Mortgage Management (5M), Inc. for Florida’s Hardest Hit Program. Negotiated with lenders and maintained compliance and eligibility for clients. Provided critical financial support to thousands of homeowners facing economic hardships, helping them stay in their homes and stabilize their financial situations.

Managed and assisted with on-site office operations for Culpepper Construction Company, Inc. for State and Federal projects including Wildwood and DeGraff Halls at FSU, Riversink Elementary School in Crawfordville, and the State of Florida Capital Circle Office Center in Tallahassee.

Shipping logistics management during BASF’s company acquisition of Engelhard. Prepared and reconciled logistics and inventory records and developed more efficient record keeping processes.

Managed front desk operations and compiled quarterly expense reports at Brown & Brown Insurance.

Achieved top sales performance at Certified Security Systems. Managed customer support and technical assistance.

Daynah J. Blake is an active volunteer, writing and presenting educational talks, assisting with conventions, and serving on the Disaster Relief Response Team for a global non-profit organization. She is also a Title Review/Deed Investigation Specialist for the organization.

Little known fact: She served as Miss Tallahassee Florida in 1985.