Jacqueline Smith, Vice President for Principled Innovation and Impact at Arizona State University, is a leader in education innovation, institutional transformation and public stewardship. She works across ASU to translate the university’s charter and design aspirations into new strategies, initiatives, and ways of working. Her work advances human flourishing, strengthens civic culture, and deepens the university’s impact in the communities it serves.
Jacqueline leads the university-wide advancement of Principled Innovation, an approach to navigating complex challenges and shaping change with careful attention to values, consequences, and the well-being of individuals and communities. Throughout her career at ASU, she has designed and led dozens of cross-university efforts connecting education, leadership development, community engagement, and public impact.
Jacqueline is also a Professor of Practice in ASU’s Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, and has taught courses about civic trust, cross-sector collaboration and university design.
In November 2020, Jacqueline was elected by the public to serve a four-year term on the governing board of the Maricopa Community Colleges, the nation’s largest community college system. She began her second term in January 2025.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics and a law degree from Georgetown University.
