Steve McDermott

Steve McDermott serves as Managing Director of Smile Farms, where he leads strategy, fundraising, partnerships, and organizational growth to expand employment and vocational opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Steve brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience spanning the nonprofit, consulting, and Fortune 100 sectors. Before joining Smile Farms, he co-founded Gr0wth Dr1vers, where he advised mission-driven organizations on fundraising, communications, organizational transformation, and capacity building. His nonprofit clients included organizations such as United Way and Jhpiego, the global health nonprofit affiliated with Johns Hopkins University.

Earlier in his career, Steve held leadership positions at Boston Consulting Group, PepsiCo, Unilever, Kantar, and VaynerMedia, where he helped organizations navigate strategic transformation, strengthen brands, build high-performing teams, and drive sustainable growth.

Throughout his career, Steve has helped organizations apply the best practices of business—including strategy, measurement, partnerships, and organizational development—to achieve greater impact. At Smile Farms, he is putting those principles into practice by developing the organization's Theory of Change and impact measurement framework, strengthening strategic partnerships, and building the organizational capacity needed to expand employment opportunities that enable more individuals with developmental disabilities to learn, earn, contribute, and thrive.

Steve earned an MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business and a bachelor's degree from The College of William & Mary. He is fluent in Spanish and values the perspective that his bicultural family life brings to his work and community engagement.

Fun Fact:
Outside of work, Steve enjoys playing and coaching ultimate frisbee, traveling with his family, tending his vegetable garden, and cooking.