Will Smith

Background

About Will Smith

Will Smith is a social entrepreneur based in the United States. He has founded or co-founded three impactful nonprofits and one social enterprise across the globe, including initiatives in the United States, Liberia, and Morocco. With a strong foundation in education, sports for development, social justice, and sustainability, Will has dedicated over a decade to empowering youth and driving social change. He is the Founder & CEO of Charter Oak Advisory and sits on the Boards of LEAD Edu, LEAD Monrovia Football Academy, LEAD Morocco, and the Global Research Institute at William & Mary. For nearly a decade, Will spearheaded the growth of LEAD Edu, LEAD Monrovia Football Academy, and LEAD Morocco – a network of independent nonprofits that provide low-income, high-potential youth with full-time academic classes, elite sport training, and leadership coursework and pathways to post-secondary education and career opportunities. Together, they currently serve 322 full-time student-athletes on a daily basis, and their broader programming has impacted more than children. In 2021, Will founded Charter Oak Advisory, bringing together experienced impact strategists and operators to design and implement social impact strategies for corporations, nonprofits, and families globally. Charter Oak has catalyzed measurable social change across a range of social issues, including education, gender equality, sports for development, racial justice, economic empowerment, environmental sustainability and crisis relief. Will holds an MSc in African Studies from Oxford University, BA’s in Government and French from the College of William & Mary (Phi Beta Kappa), and a degree in social entrepreneurship from Santa Clara University. He played NCAA Division 1 College Soccer and NCAA Division 1 College Golf, serving as a two-year captain of the William & Mary Men's Soccer team. He also played in the United States Golf Association's 2010 US Amateur Championship. Will is a recipient of the Jerry Yeagley Award (2018) and Cordes Fellowship (2018), and he was one of 30 social impact practitioners who served on UNICEF and FC Barcelona's Working Group on Sport for Development from 2019-22.