Ashonte Smith, Director of State Policy, expands the organization’s strategic advocacy efforts in Sacramento. In this role, Smith works closely with lawmakers, state agency leaders, and industry partners to drive forward SVLG’s Sacramento policy agenda and shape key legislation critical to the California innovation economy.

Smith previously served as legislative aide to State Senator Dave Cortese, where he led initiatives to expand education equity, strengthen workforce development, and bolster California’s data center capacity to harness the power of AI. He holds a B.A. in Economics from Sacramento State University.