Abby Smith is a strategic marketing leader and social entrepreneur dedicated to turning the sport sector into a sustainable force for good. Her career is defined by a unique combination of cross-cultural experiences, allowing her to bridge the gap between supporting grassroots organizations and influencing top-down systems change.
After working in sport across the globe and supporting initiatives run by the International Olympic Committee, Tea, USA, Yunus Sports Hub, and Peace and Sport, Abby founded Gen Z Sports Marketing. Her company helps brands communicate through the eyes of their athletes, utilizing a process of innovation and creativity centered around empathy and human-centered design.
Having visited 25+ different countries to deliver sport-for-development programs throughout Europe, Africa, and North America, she has had the unique opportunity to witness the wide range of cultural and socio-economic differences that shape our world of sport.
The lacrosse field has always been a home to Abby. A former NCAA and BUCS athlete, she was a standout at York College, leading her team to the NCAA tournament four times, before continuing her career as a University of Nottingham International Sports Scholar. Abby’s decade-plus journey—spanning college play, international competition, coaching, and refereeing—has allowed her to empower communities through lacrosse from the Kenya Lacrosse Association to the Haudenosaunee Nationals. These experiences, including her time as a record-breaking goalkeeper, have solidified her belief that sport holds the power to make lasting change in any and all communities.
Abby holds an MSc in Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Management from the University of Nottingham and a B.S. in Marketing from York College of Pennsylvania. She notably developed her master’s dissertation in collaboration with the Yunus Sports Hub, founded by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.
