Dawnnesha Smith
Dawnnesha Smith
Dawnnesha Smith joined the Probation Oversight Commission in the role of Project Director in May 2023.
Prior to joining the POC, Dawnnesha served at the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs for 16 years. During her tenure, she worked on a broad range of anti-poverty initiatives and programs designed to promote consumer protection and wealth-building for marginalized communities. In her most recent role, she served as a Chief Consumer and Business Affairs Representative where she oversaw the foreclosure prevention unit and spearheaded the implementation of the County’s Center for Financial Empowerment. Through her leadership, the Center and its many partner organizations banked over 100,000 unbanked residents, helped low-income families claim millions of dollars in income tax refunds and provided financial education to hundreds of transition-age youth. Additionally, she worked with executive staff to envision and implement the Center’s $13 million portfolio of American Rescue Plan and Cares First, Community Investment fund programs to improve the financial wellbeing of communities most impacted by the pandemic.
Dawnnesha earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California and is a graduate of the County’s Executive Leadership Development Program. She enjoys doing work that helps to lift people out of poverty and is excited to join the POC to help improve outcomes for justice-involved youth and adults.