Kyra Young

Bio

Ciera Smith joined the Capacity Building Team at the beginning of January 2025. In her role, she will oversee all of the public and customized training that CJC offers. Ciera brings 10 years of experience in education from non-profit afterschool programming, education policy and organizing, and higher education. With this, she brings a unique perspective of creating education programs for those of all learning styles and abilities.

A Philadelphia native and Chicago resident for the past 10 years, Ciera is an educator at heart with a deep passion for building community. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland-College Park and a Master's in Urban Studies and Educational Leadership.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Ciera enjoys running, weightlifting, discovering new restaurants, and experimenting with creative recipes in the kitchen.