Dr. Ryan Smith

Dr. Ryan J. Smith is the President and CEO of St. Joseph Center in Los Angeles, California. For nearly 50 years, St. Joseph Center has been a leading force in supporting working poor families and unhoused individuals across Los Angeles County. As one of the county’s largest social service providers, the organization delivers housing services, outreach and engagement, food assistance, mental health support, job training, and workforce development to nearly 15,000 people each year in LA and beyond.

Prior to joining St. Joseph Center, Dr. Smith served as Chief Strategy Officer at Community Coalition, an organization committed to transforming the social and economic conditions of South Los Angeles and beyond. In that role, he led the organization’s strategic initiatives and power-building efforts, including the successful Make LA Whole anti-poverty campaign, which secured over $200 million in city funding for high-need communities. He also served as the executive lead for the South Central Youth Empowered Through Action (SCYEA) program.

Previously, Dr. Smith was Interim CEO and Chief External Officer of LA Unified’s Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, where he supported 15,000 students and their families in Watts, Boyle Heights, and South Los Angeles. He played a pivotal role in development, communications, policy and advocacy, and family and community engagement. During his tenure, he founded the award-winning Parent College program, which has empowered over 10,000 youth and families in underserved communities by educating them about their rights, roles, and responsibilities in the education system.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Smith served as Executive Director of The Education Trust–West and Vice President of Strategic Advocacy for The Education Trust, a national education civil rights organization focused on closing opportunity gaps. There, he pioneered a community initiative that provided financial and strategic resources to support grassroots advocacy across California.

Dr. Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Doctorate of Education from UCLA. He is a recipient of the National Annie E. Casey Children and Family Fellowship and the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs. He serves on multiple boards, including Covenant House California, which supports youth experiencing homelessness statewide, and Abode Communities, a nonprofit affordable housing developer that builds and operates supportive, sustainable housing for low-income families, seniors, and individuals across California. His deep commitment to civic engagement was recently recognized with UCLA’s inaugural Excellence in Civic Engagement Award.