FRIEDA E. SMITH
Senior Advisor & Consultant

Frieda E. Smith brings more than 35 years of nonprofit management and six years of serving as senior advisor and consultant at data2insight. She is a facilitator, trainer, trainer of trainers, and a seasoned diversity management facilitator.

She is driven by a desire to make a difference while accepting everyone else’s, as well as a desire to ensure that all members of the community are embraced and accepted for their similarities and differences. Justice, principle, caring, and joy are among the characteristics Frieda most values.

Her volunteer experiences include serving as a founding board member of Diversity Awareness Partnership – St. Louis, where she served on the board for 10 years, including two years as the Board Chair. She is Clerk of the Board of Pensions for Metropolitan Community Churches USA and previously served two terms as board chair of Metropolitan Community Church of Greater Saint Louis. Frieda was on the Cultural Leadership Board of Directors for six years and served two years as president.

Frieda is committed to working with colleagues, especially younger women, to provide professional guidance and insight that will serve them as they grow into their careers and adult lives. For Frieda, serving as a wise guide without focusing on her “credentials” is paramount. It’s not about drawing attention to herself, but helping garner affirmation for her colleagues.

When not working, you can find Frieda sending notes or texts of encouragement and gratitude to, or spending time with, those most important in her life – her kids, grandkids, friends, and colleagues. Connection is essential to her. She also enjoys working in her garden and spending time with her wife, kids, and grandkids.

She still supports organizations for whom she has worked or served/serves as a board member: Cultural Leadership, Metropolitan Community Church of Greater Saint Louis, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, Saint Louis Science Center, Diversity Awareness Partnership, and more.