Renée Smith-Maddox, Ph.D. is a leading scholar in the study of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. Dr. Smith Maddox studies the application of Critical Race Theory in teacher training courses, as a foundation for candidates to unlearn stereotypical knowledge of race. Her work better prepares educators to understand and discuss race and racism. Dr. Smith- Maddox joined the University of Southern California (USC) Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work in 2012. She is a Clinical Teaching Professor and the school’s Diversity Liaison to the Provost and Associate Dean, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). She serves as the chair of the Provost’s Diversity & Inclusion Council and co-chair of the Academic Senate’s Campus Climate Committee.Renée works with faculty and administrators in designing and implementing a campus-wide DEI strategic planning process through an intersectional lens. It is through this process that she has been a catalyst for reimagining structures and practices that can advance diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. She also co-founded Diversity and Inclusion Awareness Week, a professional development series that has grown into 100 DEI related workshops and training sessions for the USC community. As a social work educator, she teaches policy, advocacy, capstone, and social innovation courses, develops curriculum, and designs experiential learning opportunities for the campus-based and online Master of Social Work and Doctor or Social Work programs. In the classroom, she co-created a learning community that teaches students how to analyze, and evaluate their positionality, actions, and decisions as well as policies and programs. This learning environment also serves as a social innovation lab for students and professionals to simultaneously create prototypes and test their ideas for solving our most complex social issues. Prior to her appointment at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Dr. Smith-Maddox held faculty positions at the USC Rossier School of Education and the University of California, Los Angeles, Graduate School of Education & Information Studies. Her experience as an education analyst and evaluator with the New York City Board of Education laid the foundation for her interests in diversity, equity, inclusion, and evaluation.
Dr. Smith-Maddox has worked as an executive director for the Posse Foundation, the Los Angeles Urban League, and First Place for Youth. In this capacity, she focused on fund development and designing service delivery systems for college access programs, workforce development initiatives, and transitional services for foster care youth. From this work, she has come to understand the capacity building challenges that nonprofits face and the creative solutions that are needed to address their existing and emerging challenges.
Dr. Smith-Maddox is also a professional coach and volunteers for causes that empower girls and women as well as promote innovative practices in areas such as youth development, human trafficking, and homelessness. She holds a Ph.D. in Social Policy and Master’s degree in the Management of Human Services from Brandeis University, Heller School of Social Policy and Management. She earned her BA degree in psychology at Lincoln University (in PA).