Stephen Smith-Contreras (he/him/el) brings over 15 years experience working in creative youth development with a focus on social and economic justice. He has a passion for using music and art as an agent for change, and has committed to working with young people and communities through his work. Stephen has developed and implemented a variety of arts education curricula with schools, universities, arts institutions, and community-based organizations. Prior to joining the team at Youth on Record, Stephen worked on the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (YOLA), Gustavo Dudamel’s signature program where he managed YOLA National and various community based music projects. Stephen is an accomplished musician who has performed internationally and enjoys exploring the intersections between Afro-Latin percussion and electronic music.

Stephen has degrees in Cultural Anthropology, Ethnic Studies, and Music from the University of Colorado at Boulder and California State University Los Angeles.