Our Team

Danielle Clark is the chief communications officer at HCDE. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Southern California. Before joining HCDE in August of 2018, she worked as the executive director of communications for the Pourdre School District in Fort Collins, Co. Clark is an accredited public relations (APR) professional with more than 20 years in urban, suburban and rural educational settings. She has held leadership roles in three National School Public Relations Association state chapters, was named one of four top front-runners in the country in 2017 and was named one of 100 Top Women in Communications in the country in 2019.

Kristoffer Smith is the director of communications and creative services for the Harris County Department of Education (HCDE), bringing more than 15 years of experience in education communications, multimedia production and strategic storytelling.

Smith began his career in the classroom, teaching for six years before transitioning into communications roles that support public education. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mass media and a Master of Fine Arts in Motion Pictures and Television from the Academy of Art University.

His professional experience includes positions ranging from multimedia and video coordinator to director of communications in Fort Bend ISD. Most recently, he served as executive director of communications for the College of Natural Science and Mathematics at the University of Houston.

At HCDE, Smith leads communications efforts focused on informing, inspiring and engaging audiences while strengthening connections between the organization and the community it serves.