Anna Deavere Smith is a groundbreaking actress and playwright. She is executive director of ADS Works at the Aspen Institute, which is dedicated to convening and supporting artists whose work addresses the world’s most pressing challenges. Smith has won numerous awards, including two Obies, a MacArthur fellowship, and this year’s prestigious Gish Prize. Her work combines the journalistic technique of interviewing her subjects with the art of interpreting their words through performance. She serves on the Board of Trustees at the Aspen Institute.