Gayle E. Smith

Gayle Elizabeth Smith (born February 23, 1956) is the former CEO of the One Campaign. Smith was formerly Coordinator for Global COVID Response and Health Security at the U.S. Department of State. and was the former Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Early life and education Smith is from Bexley, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio.

In 1974, Smith graduated from Bexley High School. In 1978, she received a B.A. from the University of Colorado Boulder in English.

From 1994 to 1998, Smith served as Senior Advisor to the Administrator and Chief of Staff for U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

In 2001, Smith became a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. As part of this position, she worked on the Sustainable Security Project and co-founded the Enough Project, working as Co-Chair, as well as the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network. The ENOUGH Project was created to end genocide and crimes against humanity. to succeed Dr. Rajiv Shah, who resigned the post in February 2015. Despite some opposition to her appointment, and a delayed Senate confirmation, Smith was confirmed on November 30, 2015.

As Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Smith's focus was on development and international affairs.

Smith has worked as a consultant to various non-governmental agencies like the Cooperation Canada (formerly the Canadian Council for International Cooperation), Dutch Interchurch Aid, Norwegian Church Relief, UNICEF, the World Bank, among others.

On March 28, 2017, Smith joined the Bono's ONE Campaign, succeeding Michael J. Elliott.

On March 5, 2021, it was announced that Smith would be the coordinator of the global COVID response and health security at the U.S. Department of State, As part of this program, Smith worked on the 2021 COVAX Investment Opportunity, an approach to funding the World Health Organization's COVAX Facility, which provides vaccinations to low- and middle-income countries. She returned to ONE on December 6, 2021.

Selected membership Acumen Fund, Acumen Fund Advisory Council Africa-America Institute, Board Member Center for a New American Security, Advisory Board Member ASSET Campaign, Founding Board Member Council on Foreign Relations, Board Member DATA/ONE Campaign, Advisory Board Member Global Fairness Initiative, Advisory Board Member National Security Network, Board Member Oxfam America, Board Member USA for Africa, Board Member

Selected awards 1989: World Affairs Council, World Journalism Award 1991: World Hunger Year Award 1999: U.S. National Security Council, Samuel Nelson Drew Award for Distinguished Contribution in Pursuit of Global Peace

Selected works and publications