Sherrice Dorsey-Smith

Sherrice Dorsey-Smith has been with the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth and Their Families (DCYF) since 2007. Throughout her career at DCYF, she has taken on increasingly complex and high-level leadership roles. Sherrice’s experience and deep knowledge uniquely equipped her to lead DCYF with insight and expertise.

Sherrice started at DCYF as a Program Specialist, working closely with grantees to provide direct support and guidance. Within four years, she advanced to Senior Program Specialist and launched DCYF’s Technical Assistance and Capacity Building initiative, which provides DCYF grantees with the professional development and technical skills necessary to increase their impact on the young people they serve.

Sherrice went on to lead DCYF’s Program, Planning, and Grants Division, where she provided leadership and guidance for Program and Grants team, Technical Assistance and Capacity Building initiative and the Nutrition/Meals Program. She also facilitated the Citywide Inclusion Collaborative which brings together City partners, the SF Unified School District, nonprofit organizations, and parents to work towards providing access and opportunities for youth with disabilities to participate in summer programming.

Sherrice led DCYF’s historic Request for Proposals process, awarding $115 million in funding to community-based organizations in San Francisco for DCYF’s 2024-2029 funding cycle.

Most recently, Sherrice served as DCYF’s Chief of Staff, playing a pivotal role in shaping the department’s direction. She provided leadership and oversight for the department’s grantmaking, and managed essential partnerships with community-based organizations, the San Francisco Unified School District, City departments, and other stakeholders.

One of Sherrice’s most notable accomplishments was her leadership of the Community Hubs Initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic. Serving as the project lead, she oversaw the development and implementation of a network of safe learning spaces in every San Francisco neighborhood, providing critical support to students and families during the pandemic. Sherrice's exceptional work on the Community Hubs Initiative earned her the 2022 San Francisco Good Government Award.

Prior to her tenure at DCYF, Sherrice was a prominent leader in the youth development field in San Francisco and Oakland, where she worked with programs committed to youth empowerment and social change.

Sherrice’s steadfast belief in supporting the whole child has always driven her to become involved in projects and programs that share her holistic philosophy of child and youth development.