Clay Smith

Clay Smith has worked with environmental and social justice organizations since the early 1990’s. He is currently and independent consultant and coach who works with non-profit organizations. He lives most of the year in Upper Manhattan with his wife, son, and dog, and has a home on the Delaware River. Clay grew up in Minnesota and New Jersey, where he grew to love fishing, camping, canoeing and the outdoors.

Clay worked at the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition for over a decade, and served as interim director for the organization in 2015. He also worked as an organizer at the Stamford Organizing Project, an innovative multi-union alliance. He served as the Coordinator of the New York Energy Democracy Alliance, which seeks to lead a transition to a democratically controlled clean energy economy in NY State. He was a founder of Social Justice Leadership, which introduced community organizers around the country to a model of transformative community organizing that integrates deep personal change, impactful grassroots organizing, and political analysis. He consults with a wide variety of organizations, supporting them in strategic planning, organizational development, management and supervision, and other areas of work. He also coaches organizational leaders to help them reach their full potential as leaders and people.