Tony Smith is a Board Member of the State K-12 Education Chiefs at RIDGE-LANE LP.

Dr. Smith served as the Superintendent of Education for the State of Illinois, under Governor Bruce Rauner.  He provided leadership and resources to achieve excellence across all Illinois districts by engaging legislators, school administrators, teachers, students, parents, families, and other stakeholders in formulating and advocating for policies that enhance education, empower districts, and ensure equitable outcomes for all students.

Prior, he was the Superintendent of Oakland Unified School District, where he helped improve academic outcomes, district finances, family engagement and organizational coherence. Dr. Smith served as Deputy Superintendent for the San Francisco Unified School District, where he led efforts to close the achievement gap. He also served as Superintendent of the Emery Unified School District.

Dr. Smith earned his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and his M.A. as well as Ph.D. from University of California’s Graduate School of Education.