Laura Smith

Laura Smith has a diverse range of work experience spanning over two decades. Laura has held various roles in different organizations, primarily in finance, administration, operations, and program management.

Starting in 1994, Laura worked at Media Corps, initially as an Administrative Assistant and later promoted to Office Manager. Laura then moved on to Oh Boy Artifacts in 1995, where they served as the Operations Director for a mid-size graphic design company.

In 1999, Laura joined The Right People as an Office Manager, handling personnel placements, vendor relations, database management, troubleshooting computers, bookkeeping, and payroll processing.

Moving forward, Laura joined Tides in 2002 as a Program Coordinator and worked their way up to becoming the Associate Director of Programs & Services.

Laura then served in various leadership roles within Tides, including Director of Operations, Director of Client Operations, and Senior Director of Program Services. In these positions, they oversaw service delivery, managed teams, improved business processes, and coordinated financial, grants, and human resource services.

Laura also gained experience at Community Initiatives as the Senior Director of Program Services, leading a team responsible for delivering financial, grants, and human resource services to project partners.

Prior to their most recent role at Tides as the Director of Finance and Administration for the Civil Society Innovation Initiative, Laura worked at the San Francisco Study Center as a Consultant.

In 2017, Laura joined the Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights as the Finance & HR Manager and later became the Director of Finance and Operations.

Throughout their career, Laura has demonstrated a strong background in finance, administration, operations, and program management, showcasing their ability to lead teams, improve processes, and deliver high-quality services.

Laura Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Communication Arts and Sciences with a focus on Dramatic Arts from California State University, Fresno. Laura then went on to pursue a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Theatre Arts from the University of California, Davis, completing it between 1989 and 1992.