Dustin N. Smith
Oakland,CA
Summary
Innovative higher education leader advancing academic strategy at the intersection of creativity, curriculum design, and institutional growth. Brings comprehensive experience overseeing academic and co-curricular portfolios, aligning program development with institutional priorities, and leading cross-functional collaboration across faculty, administration, and external partners. Design-thinking strategist skilled in stakeholder engagement, data-informed decision-making, and building scalable, future-forward learning models. Proven track record of launching and revitalizing programs, fostering faculty excellence, and guiding teams through complex change with clarity and purpose. Recognized for translating vision into actionable initiatives that strengthen student outcomes and institutional impact.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Sr. Director Youth Programs & Continuing Education
California College of the Arts
San Francisco, CA
12.2021 - Current
- Responsible for daily, ongoing administrative leadership of all self-sustaining non-credit academic programming, including extension adult classes, middle and high school youth programs, credit-bearing summer pre-college and study abroad travel programs.
- Directs curriculum, learning outcomes, and assessment, as well as admissions and enrollment management.
- Leads resource development, strategic partnerships, and academic and legal policy compliance.
- Establishes program revenue projections and leads strategic marketing and outreach plans to increase visibility and drive growth.
- Supervises staff team and active roster of over ninety faculty instructors.
- Partners and collaborates with provosts, academic deans, program chairs, senior cabinet, and board members to align annual division goals and program expansion with college mission and growth initiatives.
Director of Academic Administration
California College of the Arts
San Francisco, CA
01.2018 - 12.2021
- Led effective college operations, accreditation, communications, curriculum-industry partnerships, events, and strategic planning initiatives for CCA Architecture Division.
- Collaborated with program chairs, deans, and provosts on academic policy, faculty affairs, curriculum and program development with over eighty faculty.
- Directed day-to-day division operations and supervised staff to administer four academic programs and five research and teaching labs.
- Co-created comprehensive advancement strategy to increase grants and external funding for educational programs and projects with academic leadership.
- Proposed and negotiated legally binding agreements for partnerships and restricted fund allocations.
- Served as Interim Director of Academic Administration for Design Division in 2018. Restructured divisional staff support for nine academic programs.
Assistant Director of Architecture Division
California College of the Arts
San Francisco, CA
10.2015 - 12.2017
- Directed division’s annual calendar of activities, including oversight of course schedule, budget, and events with team of nine administrators.
- Collaborated with college leadership and fellow supervisors to manage operations and achieve demanding schedule development targets.
- Trained and mentored employees on industry practices and daily business operations.
Program Manager, Undergraduate Fine Arts
California College of the Arts
Oakland, CA
10.2013 - 09.2015
- Managed academic operations, schedule, budgets for five undergraduate programs serving three hundred students per semester.
- Partnered with program chairs to orchestrate efficient cross-functional collaboration across departments to produce annual calendar of events.
- Managed divisional projects including senior studio program, junior review assessment, division-wide exhibitions and events, as well as project support for assistant director and dean of fine arts.
Special Events Coordinator
California Institute of Integral Studies
San Francisco, CA
01.2008 - 01.2013
- Provided annual planning, production management, and on-site event direction for twenty large-scale public programs, performing arts, and academic conferences.
- Collaborated with senior leaders, president, and board of trustees to produce fifteen fundraisers per year, including dinners, art salons, donor receptions, cultivation events, and CIIS Board of Trustee meetings.
- Cultivated individual and corporate donors to create in-kind donation program.
Education
Master of Arts - Social Cultural Anthropology
California Institute of Integral Studies
San Francisco, CA05.2012
Bachelor of Arts - Anthropology, History, Fine Arts
Buffalo, SUNY
05.2004
Skills
- Administrative oversight
- Business development
- Collaborative leadership
- Culture transformation
- Flexible and adaptable
- Organizational development
- Partnership development
- Project management
- Stakeholder relations
- Strategic planning and vision
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Verbal and written communication
Accomplishments
Established CCA as the inaugural San Francisco Bay Area Regional Affiliate for the national Scholastic Art Awards, 2022.
Launched Atelier weekend intensive programming for high school students to gain technical skills and enhance their portfolios in preparation for college admissions, 2022.
Relaunched CCA Pre-College program with 150 students enrolled online or in the on-campus residential program in San Francisco, 2022.
Relaunched four CCA study abroad travel programs in Europe and co-created local industry-educational partnerships for enhanced curriculum, 2022.
Served as Management Team Representative for inaugural CCA/SEIU Staff Collective Bargaining Agreement, 2019-2022.
Received the CCA Award: Exemplary Service, 2021.
Led administration for industry-education partnerships with AECOM, Autodesk, Ford Motor Company, Medtronic, Port of Oakland, San Francisco Planning Department, and other partners to increase CCA Architecture Division non-tuition revenue over 200%, 2016-2021.
Received the CCA Values Award: Foster Excellence, 2019.
Co-led the successful National Association of Schools of Art & Design accreditation for twenty-eight CCA academic programs, 2018-2019.
Presented interactive session, "Required Risk Taking & Experimental Electives" at the AICAD Symposium on Student Success, Pratt Institute, 2017.
Led the successful National Architectural Accrediting Board accreditation for both graduate and undergraduate architecture programs, 2016-2017.
Co-Founder and Core Team Member of CCA Staff Advisory Committee for Human Resources, 2014-Present.
Screening Committee Member for Frameline: San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, 2012- 2016.
Served as National Conference Chair and Lead Producer for "Expanding the Circle: Creating an Inclusive Environment in Higher Education for LGBTQ Students & Studies", 2010-2015.
Co-produced and launched an annual global showcase of international performing arts programs for California Institute of Integral Studies and achieved San Francisco Grants for the Arts funding, 2009-2013.
Curated seven art exhibitions with Visual Aid, a nonprofit organization supporting artists with life-threatening illnesses, 2009-2013.
Timeline
Sr. Director Youth Programs & Continuing Education
California College of the Arts
12.2021 - Current
Director of Academic Administration
California College of the Arts
01.2018 - 12.2021
Assistant Director of Architecture Division
California College of the Arts
10.2015 - 12.2017
Program Manager, Undergraduate Fine Arts
California College of the Arts
10.2013 - 09.2015
Special Events Coordinator
California Institute of Integral Studies
01.2008 - 01.2013
Master of Arts - Social Cultural Anthropology
California Institute of Integral Studies
Bachelor of Arts - Anthropology, History, Fine Arts
Buffalo, SUNY