Strategic Advisor, ACARE

Ms. Stephanie (Steph) Smith serves as ACARE's Strategic Advisor. In this role, she works with the team on game-changing collaboration and growing a vibrant organization. She oversees ACARE's African Women in Science (AWIS) program and guides work for the six advisory groups focused on the health of the African Great Lakes. She partners with the executive director on initiatives related to organizational planning and growth, and board of directors development.

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Navigating the waves of water work for 20 years, Stephanie leads Zephyr Mangata Consulting, which builds partnerships to accelerate positive change for water, climate and people through strategy, facilitation, and meeting/event/project design. Her clients include ACARE, Global Water Works Connect, WaterRising Institute and Drink Local Drink Tap, with whom she authored the Wavemaker Curriculum. 

Stephanie was Vice President of Operations at Alliance for the Great Lakes, where she worked for 17 years, and led strategy and implementation for volunteerism, education, policy, urban planning, communication, and fundraising teams. She established and led the regional Adopt-a-Beach program for 16,000 volunteers, removing 50,000 pounds of trash annually at 300 locations. She developed Great Lakes in My World K-12 curricula and educator training program, reaching hundreds of teachers and more than 60,000 students in all eight North American Great Lakes states. Stephanie co-founded the Great Lakes Network for the North American Great Lakes. She serves as chair of the board of directors for Freshwater Future. Stephanie has a Masters of Science in Environmental Science and Environmental Education from Antioch University New England. She loves living near Lake Michigan with her husband, 2 teens, and spirited dog.