Teri Smith is a Global Sports Executive.  She was promoted to Deputy Managing Director in August of 2010, Acting COO in February of 2019 and then became the NFLPA’s first female and Black COO in March of 2021, a role in which she flourished until her departure from the NFLPA in December of 2025. 

Prior to joining the NFLPA, Teri participated in multi-million dollar merger and acquisition deals for numerous Fortune 500 companies as a corporate associate at Latham & Watkins, which was ranked as the 2nd best law firm in the world at the time she was hired.  She has advised a variety of start-up organizations, including non-profits founded by current and former professional athletes.  

Teri proudly received her undergraduate degree in Accounting, summa cum laude, from Howard University in 1997 and her Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law 2001.  She is licensed to practice law in the State of New York and the District of Columbia. 

Teri Smith is the first female to be named counsel at the NFL Players Association. As Chief Operating Officer, Teri had a diverse role and a broad range of responsibility within the NFLPA. She exerted wide influence and responsibility for not only NFLPA staff but also for players and their families. In this role, Teri provided direction of over 150 employees and advised the Executive Director on discreet legal matters, NFL front office communication and international engagement and revenue streams. 

In 2013, she led an internal team in launching “The Trust”, an independent initiative whose sole purpose is to serve former players. The Trust is funded by money negotiated in the 2011 Collective Bargaining agreement. Her responsibilities included overseeing hiring personnel, drafting and executing relevant legal documents. She served as Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees from 2013-2023.  She also sat on the board of NFL Players Inc., the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFLPA, and continues to serve on the boards United Way Worldwide, Athletes.org and the Champion Fund. 

As a previous adjunct professor in Georgetown’s Sports Industry Management program, Teri taught a sports law class and had a direct influence on many of the future leaders of the sports industry.

In the past, she was named Sports Business Journal Forty Under 40: Class of 2015.  Teri is a frequent panelist in the sports arena and continues to pursue opportunities to educate and assist those up and coming.  

Teri was raised in Charlotte, NC and now, she and her family reside in Washington, DC.