Darion Banister

Darion Banister is a nonprofit professional with over 10 years of experience working with multiple nonprofit organizations primarily in the South. His expertise includes organizational capacity building, board development, strategic planning, fundraising, and executive coaching. 

He currently serves as Program Manager for the Juvenile Diversion Program at the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office (FCDAO) under the leadership of District Attorney Fani T. Willis, where he leads the development of the new program, including workflows, processes, participant criteria, and monitoring and evaluation systems. 

Prior to joining FCDAO, Darion worked for several nonprofits primarily in the health field, focusing on chronic and autoimmune diseases. His successes include building the capacity of county health departments by integrating best practices, policies, and employee‑retention strategies. He also led technical‑assistance teams that provided organizational capacity building, grantmaking, and coalition development. 

Darion’s diverse experience has equipped him with a wide range of skills, including board development, partnership development, executive coaching, fundraising, and communications planning. His natural facilitation, public speaking, and motivational speaking abilities allow him to engage and present effectively to any audience. 

Mr. Banister earned both his Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee. He minored in Nonprofit Management and Leadership, which fueled his passion for nonprofits and public health. Darion is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., the Tennessee State University Alumni Association, and an active member of the dReam Center Church of Atlanta. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling the globe, visiting museums, and mixing craft cocktails as a freelance bartender.