Abby Smith

President and CEO, Team Pennsylvania

Abby Smith is Team Pennsylvania's President & CEO. Her work has focused extensively on building strategic public-private partnerships to address long-term issues that no one sector can tackle alone. Abby's 20-year career includes high-level strategic planning and leading cross-sector collaboratives at the state level in Pennsylvania as well as in several other states, along with ample experience as a grant and project manager overseeing multi-million-dollar grants and serving on various state-level councils. In early 2023, Abby received an Above and Beyond Award, honoring Pennsylvania women of "public and civic mind" who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in their field, combined with having made significant contributions to society. Formerly the Vice President of Policy & Programs and Senior Advisor to the Foundation, Abby also served as the Director of Education & Workforce Development. Previously, Abby worked as a policy specialist at the PA Department of Education; for Teach For America as a recruitment director; and as a 7th grade social studies teacher and Teach For America corps member. Abby earned her undergraduate degree from Yale University and master's degrees in teaching from The Johns Hopkins University and in public policy and management from Carnegie Mellon University. Abby serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg and JCC and is a board member of the Jewish Community Foundation of Central PA. As Chair of the Federation, Abby spearheaded the acquisition of a new Jewish community campus - the Alexander Grass Campus for Jewish Life. Abby lives in Hershey, PA with her husband, twin sons, and dog Comet.