Eshauna Smith
President
Eshauna Smith is president of StriveTogether, a national network of community organizations that brings together neighbors, including youth and families, nonprofits, employers, schools and more to work toward a future where youth can thrive. As president, she plays a central role in shaping and advancing StriveTogether’s influence, innovation and long-term sustainability. She serves as a key organizational leader and strategic partner to the CEO, ensuring that StriveTogether is positioned to drive systems change at the local, state and national levels.
Eshauna has more than two decades of experience building and leading organizations and strategic initiatives that mobilize communities, foster cross-sector collaboration, hold systems accountable and deliver high-quality, data-driven outcomes improvement. Most recently, Eshauna served as Ballmer Group’s national director of community impact, where she focused on improving economic mobility and reducing racial disparities at scale through core investments in place-based partnerships and talent development.
Previously, she was the CEO of Urban Alliance, a national organization that connects young adults to early career opportunities through paid internships, mentorship and professional development to build a diverse next-generation workforce. She helped launch a place-based partnership in Washington, D.C., while serving in the mayor’s office, where she was senior policy advisor for disconnected youth and workforce development in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education. Eshauna was the founding executive director of the D.C. Alliance of Youth Advocates, a coalition of local youth-serving organizations focused on improving youth homelessness, youth employment and out-of-school time supports for young people in Washington, D.C.
Eshauna holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas, Austin.