Staff

Eshauna Smith, Executive Director - Eshauna Smith has worked in various capacities over the past seven years to promote the healthy development of low-income women, women of color, youth, and their families through research and messaging, leadership development, responsible philanthropy, and sustainable organizational development.

Ms. Smith joined the DC Alliance of Youth Advocates (DCAYA) as the founding Executive Director in September 2006. Prior to joining DCAYA, Ms. Smith served as Program Manager for the Pro-Choice Public Education Project (PEP), an organization focused on developing a new generation of young women leaders around reproductive justice. Prior to joining PEP, Ms. Smith was Program Associate for the Reducing Poverty and Women’s Rights Programs of the Moriah Fund.

Ms. Smith is a founding member of the National Women’s Law Center’s Progressive Leadership Advocacy Network For Women and a current board member of the YWCA of the National Capital Area. In 2005, Ms. Smith was selected as one of the National Women’s Health Network’s “Honor 30 for the 30th” recipients in recognition of activists who have created and inspired work to improve women’s health. In 2003, Ms. Smith co-founded the DC Black Philanthropic Alliance, an organization dedicated to providing professional development opportunities to African-Americans in philanthropy.

Ms. Smith holds a Master of Public Affairs degree from the University of Texas-Austin and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California - Berkeley.

Ife Goodson, Policy Associate - As a Policy Assistant for DCAYA Ms. Goodson serves as general administrative support to the organization, as well as support for the policy and advocacy work around DCAYA's three priorities - youth employment, youth homelessness, and strengthening the out-of-school-time sector.

Prior to joining DCAYA, Ms. Goodson worked in both Federal and District government. The invaluable experience gained in the Executive Office of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and her existing passion for children motivated her to seek employment that would allow for obtained knowledge and growth in the area of youth advocacy and policy. Her previous research experience and volunteerism with several youth programs and organizations within DC has sealed her belief in contributing to causes larger than herself. She is a current member of The EnVest Fund and holds a BA in Psychology from Howard University, where she learned many valuable lessons on community involvement and the importance of youth development and empowerment within the Washington, DC area.

Megan Elizabeth Hilton, Research & Policy Associate -

Currently Ms. Hilton conducts research and policy support for the S.T.E.P. Up D.C. campaign. She also provided statistical analysis on the campaign’s survey of students enrolled in D.C. public schools and older youth in other educational programs. Ms. Hilton is pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Policy and International Development.

She has worked for the Society for International Development and the Office on Women’s Policy and Initiatives, District of Columbia’s Executive Office of the Mayor. Before moving to D.C., Ms. Hilton implemented the first English as a Second Language Program in Londrina, Brazil at the Lar Anália Franco orphanage on behalf of San Diego University for Integrative Studies. She obtained her Bachelor’s in English and Spanish with a minor in Photography and enjoys speaking Spanish and Portuguese.