Bio for Yvonne Darcel Smith-Jones
Graduate of Charles City High School, 1975
“Drummer Major for Human Rights and Healthy Community”
(Community Activist/Servant Leader)
She is a member of the Parrish Hill Baptist church in Charles City, Virginia and has served as a Sunday school teacher. Today, she is the clerk and chairperson of the Scholarship committee. Her pastor is Rev. Danny Tucker, Sr. Her parents are the late Herman Smith, Sr. and Mabel Smith who is living. She is married to Michael Jones. They reside in Charles City County, Virginia.
B.S. Elementary Education, 1979 (Norfolk State University)
M.Ed. Supervision and Instruction, 1988
Ed. S. Educational Administration, 1993
Ed. D Educational Administration and Leadership, 1997
(These three degrees from The College of William and Mary)
Certificate of Instructional Technology, UVA 2000
Yvonne currently works full time part time as an Impact Coach working with principals in 75% of the Commonwealth for a School University Research Network in the School of Education at the College of William and Mary. She has served as the Director for the Project ALL leadership project in the Educational Leadership department at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2009-2011. She retired in 2009 after working for thirty-one years as a teacher, principal and educational leader for New Kent County and Hopewell City schools. Serving eight years in the Principalship and spending thirteen years as the Director of Mathematics, Science and Technology for Hopewell Public Schools.
Women Education Leaders of Virginia (WELV) honored her by awarding the Spirit Award in 2018 and the Mentoring Award in 2024. The School of Education at the college of William and Mary featured her as an outstanding alumnus and featured in its journal – The Outsider-2018. New Kent County NAACP recognized her with a plague for contributions to the NAACP during the 2017 Freedom Fund Banquet. Hopewell Public Schools recognized her in 2015 with the Distinguished Service award in celebration for African American History Month. She received the Longwood College of Education and Human Services “Professional Who Made a Difference” award (March 10, 2010), Technology Leadership Award from Southern Virginia Regional Technology Consortium (2009) and the Education Award from the Richmond Area Council America Business Women’s Association (2002). Dr. Smith-Jones served on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, William and Mary School of Education Development Board, College of William and Mary Hulon Willis Association and Leadership Circle for Inclusion and Diversity, Optima Health Insurance Community and Outreach Board, and Charles City County Boards of Planning and Zoning plus on the Charles City Civic League and Cultural Alliance Board of Directors. In Addition, she was a member of the Mathematics and Science Coalition for the Commonwealth and the Charles City Recreation Dept. Board. She has published several articles and written a variety of grants.
She has been an avid member of John Tyler Community College Board of Visitors for eight (8) years and a lifetime member of the Virginia Association of Science Teachers, Past President of the Charles City County NAACP and Civic League, chaired the NAACP Education Committee and a Lifetime Member of the NAACP. Areas of interest are K-8 mathematics, transient and students at promise, poverty, leadership, instruction, coaching-instructional feedback, STEM, and Lesson Study. She is one of the founding members of the Charles City Democratic Committee and serves as the president/treasurer. Dr. Smith-Jones received the Fourth Congressional District of Virginia Grassroots (2023) award for organizing two successful firehouse primaries and getting out the vote for Charles City County. Yvonne was awarded the She has had speaking engagements for various organizations and churches emphasizing educational and or women issues.
Yvonne has been an adjunct instructor for the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia State University, Regent University and Mary Baldwin University. Yvonne is the Director and CEO of Highly Effective Services, Inc. She has conducted numerous workshops for school divisions and conferences throughout the state of Virginia.
She is the first Black person awarded a Doctor of Education from the College of William and Mary from Charles City, Virginia. Yvonne was a member of Alpha Kappa Mu – Honor Society, Phi Delta Kappa (Omicron Tau) Teaching Sorority, Miss Phi Delta Kappa, 1974 and Vice President of the Student Virginia Education Association (NSU), Kappa Delta Pi- Education Honor Society (W&M). Her call is to recruit, coach, and embrace young people to become leaders and promote equity, diversity and inclusivity.
In Charles City, Virginia, she organized the Ladies Athletic Association and raised funds and purchased the first physical fitness equipment for the citizens (1982-1988). She led the charge to promote new schools for the children of Charles City. With the Civic League and Charles City Educational Foundation, Yvonne raised funds for the first take home novels program for Charles City middle schoolers. As co-chair of the Charles City Educational Foundation in 2023, she fueled the first Annual Golf Classic fundraiser for the staff and students in Charles City schools. Dr. Smith-Jones organized the 1619 Project (December 7, 2019) celebration with the local NAACP at the Historical Blacks’ Beach in Weyanoke, (Little Jamestown). She contributed historical accounts of the first Black Political Activism in Charles City County to acquire a highway marker. Her unwavering commitment to voter education and registration started in the 1980’s. She canvassed community and informed county residents why, how and where to vote. As the President of the Civic League, she championed the call to rename the new county courthouse after the late Iona Adkins. She petitioned the Boad of Supervisors in 2004 and it became a reality on February 17, 2019. Dr. Smith-Jones believes that a single person cannot lead change but can cast a broader net to obtain a range of individuals.