Nathan Smith brings significant experience in federal lobbying and grassroots and grasstops organizing to Civitas.

Prior to joining Civitas, Nathan was the public policy director at GLSEN, a national organization that works to create safe and affirming schools for LGBTQ youth. In this role, Nathan advocated for the passage of federal anti-bullying and nondiscrimination legislation, managed a coalition of 120+ national organizations, and developed strategy to build bipartisan support. His leadership and multi-tiered approach to advocacy helped allow a small policy team with a limited budget to achieve enormous wins: solidifying GLSEN as a leader on issues in K-12 education in both the Obama and Trump Administrations.

Nathan began his career as a fellow for Congressman Heath Shuler (D-NC) and then worked as legislative staff for Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA), where he advised the Congresswoman on a diverse portfolio of issues.

Nathan earned a BS in Political Science from Appalachian State University and a MA in Government from Johns Hopkins University.

A native of North Carolina, Nathan lives with his husband, Justin, in Washington, DC.