Media Contact: Erin Gaffney
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NEW YORK – June 21, 2022 – Crain’s New York Business has recognized Dr. Carla Smith, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Urban Resource Institute (URI), among the honorees of the 2022 Notable LGBTQ Leaders List. Recipients of the award were selected for their “career achievements, mentorship of others, and involvement in community and industry organizations.” Dr. Smith excels in all three categories, both within her own career success and in her work to empower the LGBTQ community.
“It is an honor to be named on Crain’s List of Notable LGBTQ Leaders alongside inspiring individuals making a difference for New York City’s LGBTQ community across both public and private sectors and fields,” noted Dr. Smith. “As Deputy CEO of Urban Resource Institute, I am privileged to help lead an organization focused on domestic violence and homeless families and dedicated to uplifting marginalized populations through an open access model of care – our doors are open to everyone. This recognition during Pride Month is a true testament to the importance of accessible, inclusive services for all New Yorkers.”
As Deputy CEO, Dr. Smith leads the Operations, Finance, and Programs divisions of the organization, guiding the function and impact of the largest provider of domestic violence shelter services in the US and a leading service provider for homeless families. Since its founding in 1980, URI has focused on vulnerable populations, particularly people of color. In partnership with the Programs team, Dr. Smith has strengthened the diversity, equity, and inclusion commitment of URI to fully encompass trauma-informed services that acknowledge and celebrate the intersecting factors of each client’s identity, including gender and sexual orientation. She has worked to ensure that all facilities, programs, and services offered by URI accommodate the changing needs of diverse employees and clients, including non-binary and transgender individuals, and has championed programs for staff such as LGBTQ cultural competency training and the celebrations of Pride Month and National Coming Out Day.
Beyond her work within URI, Dr. Smith highlights the effects of domestic violence on the LGBTQ community by being a public advocate for New York’s underserved and underrepresented populations, ensuring that LGBTQ groups have access to the resources they need to be protected from abuse. She also helps shape policy by providing testimony at city council and community meetings, which broadens her impact citywide.
As a result of her ongoing work to make New York an inclusive and thriving place to work and live, Dr. Smith has previously been recognized on Schneps Media’s Power Women of Manhattan and Crain’s New York Business’s 2021 Notable in Nonprofits and Philanthropy List. She also serves on the Pace University’s Lubin School of Business Transformative Leadership Program as an Appointed Member of the Board of Advisors, and a member of Chief, a private network created to drive more women into positions of power.
For more information visit www.urinyc.org. For immediate assistance regarding issues of domestic violence, call NYC’s 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-621-HOPE or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.
About Urban Resource Institute (URI):
Urban Resource Institute (URI) transforms the lives of domestic violence survivors and homeless families in New York City by empowering individuals, families, and communities, particularly communities of color and other vulnerable populations, to end cycles of domestic violence, homelessness, poverty, and trauma by increasing safety and resiliency. As the largest provider of domestic violence shelter services in the US and a leading provider of homeless services, URI’s programs impact more than 40,000 individuals annually through prevention, intervention, education, and direct services in more than 20 residential and non-residential settings. URI is recognized as a thought-leader with influence across the U.S. and beyond. For more information, please visit www.urinyc.org.
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