Chandra Dorsey-Felton brings over 23 years of athletic leadership and administrative experience to her role as Deputy Athletic Director for Student Success & Compliance at Florida Memorial University (FMU). In this capacity, Chandra directs and oversees athletic compliance, ensuring that FMU’s athletic programs adhere to NAIA regulations and institutional policies. She is responsible for monitoring student-athlete eligibility, maintaining compliance records, and developing educational programs that promote understanding and adherence to compliance standards. Her passion for student-athlete success is evident through her strategic oversight of the department’s student-athlete development programs, as well as her commitment to ensuring their academic, health, and social well-being.
Chandra has an outstanding track record as an elite-level collegiate coach and administrator at several institutions, including McNeese State University, Wichita State University, and the University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss). At Wichita State, Chandra helped guide the team to both a regular season and a conference championship, as well as their third NCAA Tournament appearance. She has also worked at private universities like The University of Tulsa and Tulane University. Tulsa, the smallest Division I school in the country, and Tulane, ranked among the top 40 academic institutions in the nation, share a commitment to both athletic and academic excellence that mirrors the environment at FMU. Chandra’s ability to recruit the best and brightest student-athletes has consistently led to both on-court success and academic achievement. Her efforts resulted in outstanding retention rates, ensuring that her student-athletes thrived both in their sports and in their studies.
Before joining FMU, Chandra served as an Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at Tulane University and Associate Head Coach at Texas State University, where her exceptional leadership helped guide the teams to multiple post-season appearances. She helped lead her academic team at Tulane to back-to-back Women’s Basketball Academic Team Awards in 2021 and 2022 for maintaining the highest GPA. Chandra has served as the liaison for academics and compliance throughout her career, ensuring that her teams consistently adhered to institutional and athletic regulations while maintaining academic excellence. Her national recruiting success and development of numerous all-conference players during her coaching career contributed to her team's competitive edge and success in post-season play.
At FMU, Chandra established the pioneering women’s basketball mentor program, pairing each student-athlete with local professional women from the Miami community. This first-of-its-kind initiative provided valuable mentorship and professional development opportunities for student-athletes, fostering personal and career growth beyond the basketball court.
Chandra's deep experience in event planning, game-day operations, and student-athlete welfare positions her as a trusted leader within FMU's athletics department. She has spearheaded initiatives such as women’s basketball career day events and the university’s inaugural Black History Month MLK Jr. Institute of Nonviolence symposium. Her leadership has been recognized throughout her career. Chandra served on Texas State University’s Faculty & Staff Covid Taskforce Committee in 2019, was a member of the Coalition of Black Faculty and Staff from 2011 to 2019, and contributed to the Earl Moseley, Jr. Endowed Scholarship Committee in 2018. Additionally, her team was honored with the University of Southern Mississippi Athletics' Community Service Award in 2008, and she was a guest speaker at the WBCA National Convention Clinic in 2009.
A former standout student-athlete, Chandra was a team captain for the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Women’s Basketball team, earning both Southeastern Conference All-Academic Honor Roll and University of Mississippi Athletic Association Honor Roll distinctions during her time there. Her drive for excellence on and off the court continues to influence her work with student-athletes at FMU.
Chandra holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss 2001) and is a member of the Women Leaders in College Sports Organization, a long-standing member of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association since 2001, and was a member of the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches from 2011 to 2019.
Chandra and her husband, Danny, have four children—twins Danny Jr. and Destiny, as well as Taylor and Tyler. The family resides in Miami, Fla.
