Meet Shirley Anne Smith

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shirley Anne Smith.

Hi Shirley Anne, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I always believe that my story begins with my name. While my name is Shirley Anne Smith, I am a proud Puerto Rican and Latina woman. I say this because I believe that my steps in life have been ordered way before I take them. There is a lot in a name, and what better name to have than “Shirley Anne” for someone who has ended up calling Georgia home for more than 23 years.

I have been happy to call Georgia home but most importantly, I have been humbled to have chosen a career in nonprofits and in service for communities that I call my own. Nonprofits have truly fulfilled every professional and personal dream. In September of this year, I was honored to announce my new role as President and CEO of BCM Georgia, Inc. BCM Georgia is a nonprofit housing organization that supports households statewide with professional case management to prevent homelessness. Looking back, my arrival at BCM Georgia feels like a complete circle. In 2021, I participated in the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute where I learned about the intersection of housing and other important regional priorities including education, workforce development, and economic justice. This cohort put housing on my radar of interest. 

While serving as the President and CEO of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation, I launched a first-of-its-kind down payment assistance program to encourage first-time home ownership for our city’s first responders. The topic of housing is top of mind for nearly every Georgian, whether it’s because of housing instability, dreams of homeownership, or the reality that housing in Georgia has drastically changed over the last several years. As I look ahead, my hope is that every household can make their dreams come true in Georgia.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would not say that my journey has been a smooth road. It has been a typical Puerto Rican Road with a lot of curves and narrow passages. This includes roads that did not follow the standards of civil engineering or traffic safety signs. But all my roads have transported me forward. Most of my challenges have been related to the expectations of balance. Balancing the demands of being a wife, a mother, and a professional are not always easy. There are sacrifices in one part of life to see gains in the other. I remember when I went back to school while my daughter was a toddler, while working full-time, and while being the PTA President of my son’s elementary school. It was absolute insanity at the time, but it propelled me forward. It’s also a struggle to see the roads in your community change over time. The Atlanta that I moved to 20 years ago is not the Atlanta I see and drive through today. Our communities have changed and evolved but not all communities have changed to benefit people who look like me. My personal struggle has been experiencing moments of isolation. While sometimes it feels good to be the first and/or the only (whether by gender, ethnicity, or age), it is also very lonely and taxing. My hope is that young Latina women in leadership continue to be represented in the nonprofit space.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
While my industry is classified as nonprofit, my work is serving people. I have been proud to serve our communities my entire adult life and spanning more than 15 years of professional nonprofit service. I have served in youth development, educational policy, public safety, and now housing. Each of these sectors are separate but interrelated. Nonprofits was not the career I originally saw for myself, nor the career path my parents desired for me. Nonetheless, it has proven to be a career that fills my soul. Nonprofits are the only businesses that are continuously asked to do more – year over year – with oftentimes less money, less staff, and less resources. I believe what sets me apart is my desire and ability to fix and improve while innovating. I can look at any given situation – good or bad – and envision the ability for transformation. It’s like being the Latina Olivia Pope. I can fix it. I can make it better.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
I believe that life was meant to be lived in circles. And my circle is incredible. There are so many people to credit. First and foremost, my family, my husband, and my kids are the reason why I believe in a better and brighter day. They keep me going. My husband, especially, because he makes coffee every morning and it’s ready by the time I even come downstairs and head to the office. I also credit my friends and my colleagues. On average, most of my friends have been my friends for nearly two decades. Most of my colleagues have intersected in both my personal and professional lives at more than one point. The saying “surround yourself with people who are better than you” is so true. My friends and my colleagues are constantly challenging me. I love and appreciate their guidance, their protection, and most importantly their encouragement. I also have incredible mentors. Many of my mentors are board members from nonprofits that I have been associated with in the past. I have been very fortunate to have been in the company of board members who truly understood the need to “answer the call.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bcmgeorgia.org
• Instagram: @shirleyannesmith
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirleyannesmith/

Image Credits
J. Glenn Photography