Stephanie P. Smith

Stephanie P. Smith
Managing Director
Goldman Sachs & Co.
New York City

Stephanie P. Smith is proud to say that she is currently working in her dream job. The daughter of Jamaican immigrants, Smith explains that her parents taught her the value of risk taking, determination and hard work. “My parents wanted me to be a lawyer but I wanted to be Oprah,” jokes Smith. “However, being open to new experiences and the willingness to try has enabled me to be where I am today.”

Today, Smith is a managing director at Goldman Sachs, where she directs and manages the planning, staffing, budgeting and operations of 350 professionals in eight locations. Previously, she worked at United Healthcare Insurance Company.

Smith received a bachelor’s degree in international marketing from Baruch College, City University of New York. The proudest moment of her career, she says, is the day she was promoted to managing director at Goldman Sachs, becoming the first Black woman in the firm’s Operations division to hold the position. She recognizes that the promotion gives her the ability to begin the next phase of her career and provides a platform to keep developing talented people. “That day reminded me that this isn’t just about me. Instead it’s also about showing others on the journey with me that it is possible. I want to continue to be an example to those on the journey that we can achieve our personal best,” she says.

Smith enjoys maintaining a healthy lifestyle and spending time with her husband and two sons. A health scare in 2010 inspired her to get in shape and since then she has lost more than100 pounds. Smith is also active in her community, participating in non-profits such as Crown Heights Youth Initiatives, the Council of Urban Professionals and Community Resource Exchange. Life, she contends, is about living every moment to the absolute fullest.