Kathleen Smith serves as senior vice president, federal government relations, and brings an extensive background in leadership and policy experience to Strada. She most recently served as senior vice president, director of federal relations, outreach, and development for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, for which she cultivated relationships with members of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation and relevant congressional committees, shaped advocacy strategies related to legislation, managed institutional outreach efforts, and collaborated with federal agencies.
Previously, Smith held several positions in the U.S. Department of Education, including as deputy chief operating officer of Federal Student Aid and special assistant to the secretary and acting assistant secretary for the Office of Postsecondary Education. She played a central role in ensuring student aid was delivered and that it complied with federal regulations, preventing program fraud, advising the secretary and senior staff, and representing the agency to Congress and other federal agencies.
Smith also served as education policy advisor for the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and held leadership roles for the Education Finance Council and the U.S. House of Representatives.
Smith began her career in the financial aid office of D’Youville College in Buffalo, New York. Smith earned her bachelor’s degree from D’Youville and master’s degrees from both the University of New Haven and American University.