Bill Smith serves as Chair of the firm. He has over two decades of experience in campaign management, message research and development, strategic planning, and movement building. He currently advises philanthropists, foundations, and donor collaboratives on a wide range of policy objectives, as well as national nonprofit organizations seeking to advance progressive policies at the state and federal levels.

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Prior to starting Civitas, Bill served as the National Political Director for Gill Action, working across the country to secure marriage equality and other key policy wins by building political power for the LGBT community. He counseled a network of donors that invested nearly $15 million into targeted campaigns supporting the freedom to marry and LGBT equality, including nearly 200 successful elections across the country.

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Bill has worked extensively as a general consultant, providing critical counsel to elected officials, political organizations, and social movement organizations. He previously worked as a political operative for Karl Rove + Company and Wilson Grand Communications. He has led teams of the nation’s premier pollsters, media consultants, and campaign operatives on both sides of the aisle. Bill serves on the board of End Citizens United, and is the founder of Inseparable, a mental health advocacy organization. A native of Alabama, Bill resides in Washington, D.C.

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