Michael D. Smith has dedicated his career to social justice by reducing barriers and expanding opportunity for children and families in underserved communities, like those where he grew up.

Two U.S. Presidents have called on Michael to lead such efforts. He first served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director of Cabinet Affairs in the Obama White House, where he designed and led the My Brother’s Keeper initiative and federal task force. He went on to continue that work as executive director of the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance and director of Youth Opportunity Programs at the Obama Foundation.

And in 2021, Michael was nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as CEO of AmeriCorps—the federal agency for service and volunteering. At AmeriCorps, Michael has sharpened the agency’s focus on equity, investing in what works and uniting communities through the power of service.

A native of Springfield, Massachusetts, Michael is a member of Boys and Girls Clubs of America’s Alumni Hall of Fame, the highest honored bestowed by the organization.