Grant Smith has over 15 years of experience managing projects and communicating complex policy issues. He has drafted numerous reports, testimony, and media pieces on policy and coordinated various projects and teams. Smith also has experience shaping policy by drafting legislation and lobbying for successful passage of bills. He currently serves as the Deputy Director of National Affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance in Washington, D.C.

1. GRANT SMITH
9123 Saffron Lane
Silver Spring, MD 20901
(202) 421-5031
grantwilder@gmail.com
HIGHLIGHT OF QUALIFICATIONS
 Proven track record communicating to a range of audiences through writing, media
relations and presentations
 Extensive experience editing and developing policy materials for intended audiences
 Demonstrated agility with managing numerous projects under pressure
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
COMMUNICATING POLICY
 Drafted, edited, reviewed, proofread, and formatted reports, policy briefs, press releases
and other materials against professional standards for structure, references, format,
grammar, punctuation and spelling
 Conducted research using scientific, academic and government sources to develop policy
briefs and reports for policymakers and general audiences
 Conceptualized and wrote press releases that communicated complex and controversial
policy in simple terms
 Wrote and submitted evidence-based testimony to Congress and the D.C. Council
 Simplified complex and controversial policy issues for public consumption through print,
radio and TV media interviews
 Composed opinion pieces on policy issues for the Huffington Post, Baltimore Sun, Los
Angeles Times and CNN.com
 Cultivated and maintained relationships with congressional, federal agency and D.C.
council staff
 Facilitated and presented roundtables, panels, briefings and trainings on policy issues to
groups of 25-200 people
MANAGING PROJECTS
 Coordinated and managed ongoing writing, research, communications and advocacy
projects each with competing timelines for completion using Microsoft Outlook
 Worked cooperatively and strategically with team members to determine organizational
priorities under rigid deadlines and in a fast-paced environment
 Assisted team members with special events and projects including Capitol Hill events and
development of written reports and testimony
 Used CQ and Bloomberg to analyze and track dozens of bills, proposed regulations and
other policy proposals that reflected organizational priorities
 Managed ongoing data management projects using Salesforce and Microsoft Excel
 Co-managed a federal victim services support program for justice-involved individuals

2. SHAPING AND CRAFTING POLICY
 Drafted and reviewed policy provisions, technical language and legislation for lawmakers
 Formulated two U.S. Senate bills, two U.S. House bills and two D.C. Council bills that
were introduced by lawmakers
 Lobbied successfully to pass four bills in the D.C. Council
 Secured changes to key provisions or removal of problematic provisions in legislation
prior to passage by the U.S. Congress and the D.C. Council
MANAGING PERSONNEL
 Over the course of six years, recruited, hired, supervised, evaluated and mentored more
than 36 interns, a policy manager, policy coordinator, and two policy associates
 Conceptualized and filled a new policy coordinator position
 Coordinated a year-round legislative affairs internship program
 Demonstrated agility and flexibility in responding to rapidly changing organizational
needs and priorities, which included managing the work of two vacant positions and the
entire policy department for extended periods of time
WORK HISTORY
May 2014 – Present Drug Policy Alliance, Washington, D.C.
Deputy Director, National Affairs
October 2012 – May 2014 Drug Policy Alliance, Washington, D.C.
Policy Manager
October 2009 – October 2012 Drug Policy Alliance, Washington, D.C.
Federal Policy Coordinator
October 2006 – October 2009 Drug Policy Alliance, Washington, D.C.
Legislative Assistant/Associate
September 2005 – September 2006 Court Services and Offender Supervision
Agency for the District of Columbia (CSOSA), Washington, D.C. Program Assistant
EDUCATION
BA in Political Science; Law and Society, American University, Washington, D.C.
GPA: 3.5/4.0
TRAINING
Project Management and Personnel Management, The Management Center, Washington, D.C.
Public Speaking, USDA Graduate School, Washington, D.C.
INTERESTS
Listening to different genres of music, attending community festivals and events, reading,
cycling and keeping up with current events.