Leadership Development Consultant ·

Social Justice Trainer · Author · Guest Lecturer · Ph.D. Candidate in Applied Social Justice

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Rev. Damon O. Smith equips leaders, organizations, congregations, and communities to move from intention to impact through disciplined assessment, practical teaching, strategic facilitation, and justice-centered leadership development.

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The Work

Rev. Smith is a leadership development and social justice consultant, trainer, author, guest lecturer, and faith leader. He is a Ph.D. candidate in the Applied Social Justice Program at Dominican University and holds an Executive Leadership Certificate from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His consulting practice draws on more than twenty years of leadership experience across government, nonprofit, academic, and congregational settings — a span that includes an $5.1 million state grant portfolio, a ten-person intergovernmental staff, a five-member program team, and a network of five delegate agencies operating under shared performance expectations.

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Clients engage him for the tasks that stall internally: assessing an operation before a major decision, building an accountability structure that staff will actually follow, facilitating a board or coalition through a disagreement it has been avoiding, and translating complex policy into language that residents, elected officials, and funders can each act on.

Licensed Minister in the State of Illinois · Ordained Minister in the Progressive National Baptist Convention

Based in Chicago, Rev. Smith serves as Youth Pastor and Associate Minister of Social Justice at Liberty Baptist Church of Chicago, where he leads youth ministry, teaches Baptist history, and advances multigenerational advocacy initiatives. His ministry spans preaching, teaching, Bible study and worship leadership, pastoral care, public speaking, event facilitation, and community engagement.

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Research and Teaching

His doctoral research examines the intersection of Black Liberation Theology, Jesus' social righteousness, and Critical Race Theory, with particular attention to how faith communities and civic institutions can confront structural inequity while cultivating justice-centered leadership. He has taught at the collegiate level for more than fifteen years, in subjects including management, economics, computer applications, and public relations, and has designed mentoring, tutoring, student engagement, and cultural programming connecting learning, leadership, and community impact.

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A Practice Built on Evidence

Rev. Smith's recommendations rest on evidence he has gathered himself. In practice this has meant:

• Designed and delivered leadership training for 66 elected officials on public safety, accountability, governance, and community engagement — building civic capacity and stakeholder trust simultaneously.

•  Recruited, onboarded, trained, and supervised ten direct reports across union and non-union roles, establishing role clarity and performance accountability.

•  Built and defended the operating procedures, workflow improvements, and administrative systems that made a public oversight body's work reproducible rather than personality-dependent.

• Increased coalition membership by 27% through a membership strategy and organizing program built from field data, not assumption.

•  Increased community engagement by 60% and pre-event attendance by 50% across a decade of outreach and event operations.

•  Built capacity across five delegate agencies through training, performance review, documentation support, and accountability practices.

    Credentials, Awards, and Appointments
    Education
    Ph.D. Candidate, Applied Social Justice — Dominican University (in progress)
    Executive Leadership Certificate — Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, 2024
    Master of Divinity — McCormick Theological Seminary
    Bachelor of Arts, Business Management — Columbia College
    Bachelor of Science tract, Computer Science — Morehouse College
    
    Awards and Honors
    2019 — Ellen & James Taylor Award in Preaching
    2017 — Fellow, Black Theological Leadership Institute, Princeton Theological Seminary
    2017 — Ellen & James Taylor Award in Preaching
    2017 — Kenilworth Union Church Urban Ministry Scholarship
    2016 — Chicago Defender Man of Excellence Honoree
    2015 — Excellence in Preaching Award, Business & Professional Club

    ​Appointments and Leadership Roles
    2016–Present — Chairman, 3rd Ward Pastors & Ministers Alliance
    2014–Present — Publicity & Events Committee Chair, Xi Lambda Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
    2018–2023 — Outreach Director, Bud Billiken Day Parade
    2014–2019 — Chaplain, Chicago Area Morehouse College Alumni Association
    2013–2024 — Outreach Director, Chicago Football Classic

    A Closing Word on Approach
    “It is the client's future; therefore, the client must be engaged in the fulfillment of their future.” 
    — Rev. Damon O. Smith

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