---
title: BoardSource Blog - The Leader in Nonprofit Board Governance | Jermaine Smith
description: Jermaine L. Smith is the development director for Educare New Orleans, and serves on the Young Leadership Council board of directors.
---

![Blog-0216.jpg](https://blog.boardsource.org/hs-fs/hubfs/blog_photos/Blog-0216.jpg?width=1400&name=Blog-0216.jpg "Blog-0216.jpg")

[![Blog-header-logo.png](https://blog.boardsource.org/hs-fs/hubfs/blog_photos/Blog-header-logo.png?width=360&name=Blog-header-logo.png "Blog-header-logo.png")](https://boardsource.org)

[Back to blog homepage](https://blog.boardsource.org/blog)

## Jermaine Smith

![Jermaine Smith](https://blog.boardsource.org/hubfs/blog_headshots/Jermaine_Smith_headshot.jpg)

Jermaine L. Smith is the development director for Educare New Orleans, and serves on the Young Leadership Council board of directors.

[![](https://blog.boardsource.org/hubfs/blog_photos/blog-unicorn.jpg)](https://blog.boardsource.org/blog/how-to-catch-a-unicorn)

## [How to Catch a Unicorn: Diversify Your Nonprofit Board Like You Mean it](https://blog.boardsource.org/blog/how-to-catch-a-unicorn)

 Posted by [Jermaine Smith](https://blog.boardsource.org/blog/author/jermaine-smith) on Feb 18, 2016, 11:00:00 AM

I am a millennial. I am a black man. I am a fundraiser. I am a board member (and soon board chair). These are some of the ways I describe myself. Yet, as my experience in the nonprofit sector has deepened, I have discovered that many board leaders describe me a different way:

I am a unicorn.

...

[more](https://blog.boardsource.org/blog/how-to-catch-a-unicorn)

Topics: [Board Diversity & Inclusivity](https://blog.boardsource.org/blog/topic/board-diversity-inclusivity)

[![](https://blog.boardsource.org/hubfs/blog_photos/week_4_blog_It_Matters_Whos_In_Charge_image.jpg)](https://blog.boardsource.org/blog/it-really-matters-whos-in-charge)

## [“It Really Matters Who’s In Charge”](https://blog.boardsource.org/blog/it-really-matters-whos-in-charge)

 Posted by [Jermaine Smith](https://blog.boardsource.org/blog/author/jermaine-smith) on Jan 21, 2016, 3:00:00 PM

“It really matters who’s in charge.” James Carville spoke these words at the 2015 BoardSource Leadership Forum (BLF), held last November in New Orleans. I attended the conference as a Judith O’Connor Scholar. Even though it’s been several months since the conference took place, I cannot shake the...

[more](https://blog.boardsource.org/blog/it-really-matters-whos-in-charge)

Topics: [Roles and Responsibilities](https://blog.boardsource.org/blog/topic/roles-and-responsibilities), [BoardSource Leadership Forum](https://blog.boardsource.org/blog/topic/boardsource-leadership-forum)

[All posts](https://blog.boardsource.org/blog/all)

### Recent Posts

Search this site on Google

Search

BoardSource   1050 Connecticut Ave NW, PO Box 65001  Washington,  DC   20036   US

[![14](https://blog.boardsource.org/hs-fs/hubfs/14.png?width=37&height=37&name=14.png)](https://www.facebook.com/BoardSource/)  [![15](https://blog.boardsource.org/hs-fs/hubfs/15.png?width=37&height=37&name=15.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/boardsource) [![13](https://blog.boardsource.org/hs-fs/hubfs/13.png?width=37&height=37&name=13.png)](https://www.youtube.com/user/BoardSourceVideo)

[Privacy Policy](https://boardsource.org/privacy-policy/)     |     [Acceptable Use](https://boardsource.org/terms-of-use/)

© Copyright  BoardSource