About Stephenie
Stephenie Foster is a founding partner of Smash Strategies, which provides strategic advice to corporations, institutions and philanthropists to ensure that their investments in women and girls are effective and transformational. Stephenie is an inclusive leader, who brings together vision and pragmatism to get results and meet client needs. Based on her unique experiences, she understands the political and policy landscapes relevant to empowering women and girls, and increasing their opportunities for leadership and opportunity.
SPEAKING
Stephenie is a sought-after speaker nationally and internationally on women’s leadership, gender equity, international development and women’s advocacy.
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INTERVIEWS & IN THE NEWS
Stephenie is regularly interviewed on a diverse set of issues, such as investing in women and girls, foreign policy, security and women’s economic and political participation.
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Teaching & Publications
Stephenie is a frequent lecturer on why investing in women and girls is critically important. She has been a Professorial Lecturer at American University’s Women & Politics Institute. She publishes regularly on the importance of investing in women and girls to our foreign policy, women in leadership, women and economic engagement, and women and security. She writes regularly for the Huffington Post and other media outlets.
Featured Blog Posts
MERIDIAN BLOG: Using the Justice System to Prevent Gender-Based Violence and Protect Women and Children
Police officers, judges, prosecutors, social service workers, and victim advocates are all integral to addressing and combating gender-based violence (GBV), to ensuring that the system protects survivors, and to helping them rebuild their lives. In late March,...
read moreData, Gender & Philanthropy: Giving with Impact
Posted on Medium Investing in women and girls drives economic growth, creates more stable societies, and leads to better outcomes. Data is part of the infrastructure undergirding this work, and central to how decision-makers, citizens, and advocates measure progress...
read moreSmart Cities Must Reflect Women’s Transportation Needs
PUBLISHED IN GLOBAL POLICY JOURNAL, January 15, 2018 Today, 55 percent of the world’s population lives in urban areas, and by 2050, that number is projected to increase to 66 percent. At least half are women and girls. This movement of people -- largely in Africa and...
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