Giving all children healthy and strong starts in life.

Michelle Smith Howard is an experienced educator committed to addressing the socio-economic disparities and challenges affecting underserved communities. She began her career as an early childhood special education teacher and administrator with the District of Columbia Public Schools. She then served as the Director of Early Learning for the signature program of the Obama Administration’s White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative.

Additionally, Michelle has worked as the Director of Early Childhood Development and Intervention with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington and as the Coordinator of Citywide Early Childhood Programs with Alexandria City Public Schools.

Michelle holds a bachelor’s in political science from Southern University and A&M College. She also holds a master’s in early childhood special education and an educational specialist in educational leadership and administration from The George Washington University.

Michelle credits her love for education to her mother, a retired public school teacher, and to her pre-Kindergarten teacher. Her favorite children’s books are The Snowy Day and Caps for Sale.

Maria McDonald graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in History and Art History. After working in American Furniture and Folk Art at Sotheby’s in New York, she moved to Washington, DC to work at The Phillips Collection. Working in a museum setting helped Maria realize that her passion was using art as a lens to explore different cultures and explain history. She completed her Masters in Art History and earned her teaching degree in Social Studies at American University. Maria worked at Bishop O’Connell High School for nine years and taught a variety or courses, including AP Art History, AP European History, World History, Humanities, and Yearbook, while also chairing the Fine Arts Department. She joined the Smart Beginnings Alexandria team in the spring of 2019 as a project manager for the Preschool Development Grant.

Maria always had a passion for the subject matter that she taught and loved sharing that excitement with students. As the mother of two young children, she wants all children to be exposed to a love of learning early on so that they can embrace being life-long learners and have the tools necessary to succeed in life.

Although she finds it very difficult to pick just one children’s book that is her favorite, she loves reading Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen with her boys.