Natalie Smith, Ph.D.
Areas of Expertise: Curriculum & Instruction, Dual Language Immersion, School Leadership, Family & Community Engagement, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Finance, Fundraising, School Startup, Talent/HR
Dr. Natalie M. Smith is the Founder and CEO of Global Citizens Public Charter School, Washington, DC’s first dual language immersion charter school offering both Mandarin Chinese and Spanish pathways. With over two decades of experience in education, Dr. Smith has served as a teacher, instructional coach, school leader, and leadership coach across local public and public charter schools.
Her journey in education began while she was an undergraduate at Georgetown University, tutoring students in after-school programs east of the Anacostia River—an experience that shaped her lifelong commitment to educational equity. She spent eight years in Prince George’s County Public Schools as a teacher and instructional coach before transitioning to school leadership roles in Ward 7 public charter schools.
As the Head of School at Sela Public Charter School—DC’s only Hebrew immersion public school—Dr. Smith led a strategic effort to increase access for economically underserved students while earning the school a Tier 1 ranking from the DC Public Charter School Board.
At Turnaround for Children, she served as a Partnership and Professional Development Director, supporting DC Public Schools by building the capacity of school leaders to foster trauma-informed, healing-centered environments. She directly coached principals and staff at schools including Martin Luther King Jr. ES, Cleveland ES, Turner ES, Hendley ES, Malcolm X ES, and Houston ES, and facilitated professional learning for all Cluster 1 principals in DCPS.
Dr. Smith holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction (with a focus on Minority and Urban Education) and an M.A. in Human Development and Early Childhood Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park. She earned her B.S. in Marketing and Management from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. She is a National Board Certified Educator, a New Leaders Principal Fellow, and a member of the DC State Superintendent of Education’s Principal Advisory Council.
A proud wife and mother, Dr. Smith leads with both heart and vision. Her work is driven by a steadfast commitment to creating inclusive, high-quality learning environments where all children, of all backgrounds, have the opportunity to thrive and lead with purpose.