Bio
Makayla Buchanan is chief of staff at The Children’s Movement of Florida, serving as a key leader to execute on the organization’s strategic initiatives and priorities that help Florida children thrive in their first five years.
She brings nearly a decade of nonprofit leadership in Florida, most recently serving as director of early learning & literacy at the Florida Chamber Foundation. In that role, she worked alongside Florida employers and businesses, philanthropic organizations, and advocates to publish influential research and resources including the School Readiness in Florida policy research report, statewide kindergarten readiness and 3rd grade reading reports, and the Florida Child Care Tax Credit Employer Guide. Through consistent public speaking engagements, webinars, podcasts, and media coverage, she helped grow the number of stakeholders invested in early learning across Florida.
Makayla’s leadership track record includes serving as CEO of the Clay Education Foundation, where she expanded revenue, brand recognition, and staff capacity while launching initiatives such as Future Ready Clay, bringing Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to the county, establishing a new teacher store, and building STEM career pathways across seven feeder patterns. Later, at the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, she led development and marketing efforts including the launch of the first ConnectED Conference and numerous high-impact events.
A certified nonprofit professional, accomplished grant writer, and experienced facilitator, Makayla has coached education-aligned nonprofit leaders on strategy, board governance, and program development. Her experience spans public speaking, events management, coalition building, and advocacy—personally lobbying and collaborating with in-house and contract lobbyists to achieve policy goals. She has served on number of nonprofit boards and committees, currently including the Early Learning Coalition of North Florida and Florida’s Early Learning Consortium.
She has earned recognition as a Jacksonville Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree, Leadership Florida Education Class VI graduate, Leadership Clay President, and recipient of the Consortium of Florida Education Foundation’s “Champion Award.” A proud graduate of the University of Florida and Liberty University master’s in public policy, she is currently pursuing her PhD in Public Policy with a focus on education.
A Florida native and daughter of two lifelong public school educators, Makayla believes deeply in the power of education to transform lives —unlocking the American dream for every child, like her own father. She and her husband, an active-duty Army service member, have one daughter, and she enjoys reading, coffee, travel, and the outdoors.