Rickell Howard Smith | A Voice for Justice

By: Kristopher Jackson Photo by Game Day Communications 

Rickell Howard Smith has spent her career standing at the intersection of justice, dignity and opportunity. As president and chief executive officer of YWCA Greater Cincinnati, she leads one of the region’s most respected organizations with a steady focus on eliminating racism, empowering women and building systems that allow families to thrive. 

Her path to leadership was shaped by both purpose and preparation. A Cincinnati native and graduate of Walnut Hills High School, Howard Smith left home to study international business at Howard University before earning her law degree from Temple University School of Law. She returned to Cincinnati determined to use the law to protect the most vulnerable. That commitment guided her early career as an attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati, where she represented families facing eviction and housing discrimination. 

Her work soon expanded into broader civil rights advocacy. At the Ohio Justice and Policy Center, she directed the Prison Litigation Project and litigated high impact cases in federal court. She fought for the medical rights of incarcerated transgender women, challenged unconstitutional prison conditions and pressed for meaningful reforms in the criminal justice system. Her efforts later continued at the Children’s Law Center, where she served as litigation and policy director. There, she advocated for children in the juvenile justice and child protection systems, working to reshape how institutions respond to young people in crisis. 

Howard Smith’s influence grew as she transitioned into nonprofit leadership. She became the inaugural executive director of the Holloman Center for Social Justice at the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio, guiding its focus on racial equity, policy reform and community empowerment. The role broadened her platform and allowed her to engage directly with public systems that shape daily life for families across the region. 

When she joined YWCA Greater Cincinnati, she brought both legal expertise and organizational vision to the work. Under her leadership, the agency has strengthened its core services while advancing new initiatives that respond to community needs. She played a central role in expanding the region’s domestic violence shelter system, helping to develop a new facility that increases capacity and offers workforce development, mental health support and programming for children. Her approach centers dignity and safety, recognizing that survivors need more than shelter to rebuild their lives. 

Her leadership extends well beyond her organization. Howard Smith has served on the boards of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio, the Women’s Fund of Greater Cincinnati Foundation, and several advisory boards connected to education, youth services and community health. In 2025, she was appointed to the Metro Board of Trustees, where she contributes to conversations about public transportation, accessibility and equity. 

Colleagues describe her as a leader who combines compassion with courage. She often speaks about her guiding values of integrity, perseverance and service, and she views leadership as an opportunity to leave every space stronger than she found it. Her work is rooted in the belief that systems can change when people are willing to confront inequity with clarity and conviction. 

For Howard Smith, progress requires both advocacy and action. Her career reflects a clear pattern of both. Through law, policy and community leadership, she has become one of Cincinnati’s most influential voices for justice and one of the region’s most trusted champions for women and families.