Christina Smith (she/her) is a dedicated higher education leader with more than 20 years of experience in Catholic higher education, specializing in residence life, student development and crisis response. She serves as the Assistant Vice President for Student Development and Executive Director of Housing and Residence Life at the University of Dayton, where she earned her M.S. in College Student Personnel.
In her role, Christina leads a comprehensive residential operations and student development program serving more than 5,000 students across traditional halls, suites, apartments and 450 University-owned houses in UD's Student Neighborhood. Her leadership centers on fostering belonging, building connections in community through restorative practices, intergroup dialogue and intentional learning design. Her portfolio also includes oversight of Conference and Event Services, which provides one-stop support for internal student experiences and external client events.
Prior to her leadership roles at UD, Christina spent four years in Minneapolis, MN, managing Student Life operations and advising student activities at North Central University.
A committed campus and industry leader, Christina has received the 2025 Marianist Service Award and is a 2022 Women of UD Award. She is also a Career Champion through Student Employment, a HERS Institute alumna, trained Dialogue Zone facilitator and a Marianist Educational Associate. She currently serves on the GLACUHO Conference Host Committee and has previously served on the ACUHO-I Future of the Profession Task Force. Driven by a passion for mentorship, Christina excels at helping students and emerging leaders pursue their passions while thoughtfully challenging their perspectives. helping students pursue their passions while giving them space to question, grow and reflect.
Outside of campus, Christina enjoys reading, running, discovering good food and spending quality time with her family and dogs.