Elisabeth Smith
Director, State Policy & Advocacy
Elisabeth joined the Center in 2018 and is responsible for overseeing the Center’s state and local policy and advocacy program within the United States. Her work includes developing, implementing, and managing the Center’s multi-faceted reproductive rights policy initiatives and strategies aimed at moving proactive policy strategies forward and preventing abortion restrictions in the states.
Elisabeth came from the ACLU of Washington where she was the Legislative Director. In this role, she developed and implemented state legislative strategies to advance the ACLU-WA’s goal of protecting and strengthening fundamental civil rights and civil liberties. Previously, Elisabeth was a staff attorney with Northwest Health Law Advocates and a former member and president of the If/When/How Board of Directors. She also worked at two international art non-profits, the Terra Foundation for American Art and the National Association of Latino Arts & Cultures.
Elisabeth received her JD from the University of Washington School of Law, an MA in the Humanities from the University of Chicago, and a BA in English from Davidson College where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa.