Sarah Smith

Sarah Smith is a former civil servant at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) based in the DC area. During her nine years at USAID, she served as a Desk Officer for Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, as well as the Chief of Staff in OAPA and Asia Bureaus.

Sarah is an accomplished senior operations professional and analyst with eight years of experience serving at the highest levels of mission-driven organizations managing complex offices, budgets, and cross-functional teams in fast-paced environments. Senior leaders appointed her as the bureau Chief of Staff in recognition of demonstrated judgment, discretion, and executive readiness. She served as an advisor to senior leadership with deep expertise in strategic planning, financial oversight, administrative systems, and stakeholder engagement. With a proven ability to build trust across all levels, manage sensitive policy issues, and deliver executive-ready communications under pressure, Sarah is adept at improving processes and ensuring organizational continuity across diverse international teams.