DeVone Holt

DeVone Holt is the former President and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center. With nearly 30 years of experience across public affairs, workforce development, and community building, Holt is known as an institutional brand manager, culture creator, and people convener dedicated to justice and transformation.

Prior to leading the Ali Center, Holt served as Chief External Affairs Officer at Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, where he helped turn a 20-acre brownfield into a $120 million Opportunity Campus in West Louisville and launched the state’s first high school for adults. His work has helped generate over $400 million in new business investments and more than 1,000 jobs for inner-city residents, earning him recognition as a “trusted leader” by Leadership Louisville.

A published author and radio host, Holt’s book Hip-Hop Slop: The Impact of a Dysfunctional Culture has been used nationwide as a teaching resource. In 2024, he received an honorary doctorate from Simmons College of Kentucky for his decades-long commitment to revitalizing inner-city communities. He lives in Louisville with his wife, Lori, and their two children.