David Smith comes to IFA with over 10 years of experience working at several national trade associations as an advocate for diverse communities. Most recently, David worked as the Programs & Initiatives Manager for the National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC), the trade association for diverse-owned private equity firms and hedge funds. There, he managed several programs which helped NAIC member firms gain access to institutional investors and he also facilitated research projects to educate the marketplace about diversity in finance. Prior to NAIC, David worked at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), where he worked with nonprofit organizations and banking institutions to leverage the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) to help direct capital investment into low-moderate income communities. David also worked as the Chief of Staff at the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce (UBSC), the nation’s largest network of Black-owned businesses. David earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA and earned his Master of Public Administration Degree from the University of the District of Columbia (UDC).
Director, Diversity Programs, International Franchise Association
dsmith@franchise.org