Jessica Smith is the Acting Vice President of Strategy, leading the implementation of the strategic plan as well as the institutional systems development and cross-functional alignment necessary to advance the university’s mission. She brings deep expertise in organizational culture, change management, and infrastructure to her work advising executive leadership and guiding complex institutional initiatives.
An architect of people-centered systems that drive organizational coherence, Ms. Smith previously served as Chief Operating Officer at Relay Graduate School of Education. There, she oversaw the organization’s strategy, people, technology, and legal operations, building sustainable infrastructure to support mission-driven outcomes. Before Relay, she spent six years at Alliance College-Ready Public Schools as Vice President of Employee Relations & Engagement, where she established the network’s first dedicated employee relations framework and led the organization’s equity and inclusion strategy. Her career in educational leadership also includes overseeing employee relations and compliance strategy for Atlanta Public Schools, as well as advising senior school system administrators and governing boards on labor and employment matters.
Grounded in her background as a first-generation American, Ms. Smith centers her executive leadership on building highly effective, mission-aligned systems that translate strategic vision into lasting impact. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Miami and her Juris Doctor from Emory University.