Kate Smith

Kate Smith is a highly experienced healthcare professional, community volunteer, strategic consultant, non-profit board member and executive. She is a registered nurse having more than three decades of experience working in a wide variety of healthcare organizations, with a particular focus on caring for seriously ill children and the homeless population. Kate has been active as a volunteer San Francisco for more than 20 years, with particular focus on working with organizations that specialize in addressing community health and welfare issues – including family homelessness, child development & academic support, adult education & re-training, lower-income housing development, mental health care, economic improvement and public+private partnerships for social impact.

Kate served two separate terms on the board of the St. Francis Foundation before being asked to serve as its interim President; she also was the first President of the SFF Associates, an organization designed to increase community involvement and philanthropy among the next generation of Bay Area leaders. For 20+ years Kate also has worked with and supported Raphael House, San Francisco’s oldest family homeless shelter, as a volunteer, board member and, for six years, board chair. She remains a board member emerita for Raphael House. Kate consults regularly with non-profit organizations to help them grow and enhance their organizational leadership, cultural development, collaboration, governance, community engagement and fundraising activities.

Kate also was selected as one of only 60 members of the third class of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program. This unique program, founded by Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, brings together a group of mid-career professionals to help them hone their leadership skills through direct study with former presidents, key administration officials, leading academics, and business & civic leaders. PLS Scholars collaborate on significant issues in their communities, country or the world, gaining crucial skills to enable them to work across divides and develop a network that spans traditional geographic, professional, political and economic boundaries.

Kate’s athletic career as a swimmer began at the age of 5 and carried her through numerous collegiate championships & records at Indiana University, and into two U.S. Olympic trials. She remains active as a swimmer, and in using the power of athletics to help unlock the full potential of children.

When she’s not pursuing her work for the St. Francis Foundation or her numerous community engagement projects, Kate enjoys making wine and honey, and spending time with her husband and two sons.