Meet our new team members:

Drew Smith
Vice President of Education Initiatives

Drew brings an extensive background in education to his new role with Purpose Built. Beginning as an elementary school teacher in Washington DC public schools, he moved into administration — serving as an instructional coach, assistant principal, then principal.

While serving as principal, Drew and his team at Ludlow-Taylor Elementary School began to recognize the need to reimagine the school experience. The team joined the initial DC Public Schools Design lab, then the first Whole Child Collaborative in partnership with Transcend Education.

Drew quickly became an integral part of the Transcend team, joining officially as a school design partner. Later, he moved into a project lead role, supporting 21 schools across Washington, DC, to implement the Whole Child Model. It’s this experience — particularly the positive shifts that occurred for students and adults — that motivates Drew to support similar community-driven educational initiatives.

Drew holds a B.A. from the University of Buffalo, a M.A.T. from American University and a Post-Master’s Leadership Certificate from George Washington University. After growing up in Buffalo, NY, Drew now calls Washington, DC home alongside his wife and two small kids.


Vicki O’Brien
Prospect and Database Manager

Vicki comes to her new role with over ten years of experience in development. She’s worked at national and international non-profit organizations in sectors like animal welfare, nature conservation, poverty eradication, and higher education.

All that experience has afforded her the opportunity to bring definition and coordination to all aspects of fundraising — focusing on portfolio optimization, prospect identification, and data management.

In her new role, Vicki will handle the day-to-day operations of advancement services — including CRM management, prospect research, donor analytics, reporting, and much more.

Vicki currently serves as secretary for the Apra-Carolinas Board. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Francis Marion University, and a master’s in public administration from the University of South Carolina. An avid reader, Vicki also enjoys yoga and trying out new recipes.

View the full Purpose Built Communities Team