The Founder and CEO of PreQualy, a mobile-first, AI-powered platform designed to unlock pathways to homeownership by aligning government, business, and nonprofit sectors. Her work sits at the intersection of housing equity, technology innovation, and systems-level strategy.

PreQualy was founded by LaShonda Smith, a longtime advisor working at the intersection of real estate, public finance, and philanthropy.

Throughout her career advising on property tax, sales tax, and philanthropic strategy, LaShonda repeatedly encountered a common challenge. Resources designed to expand opportunity existed, but were not accessible to the people who needed them most.

With a professional background in client advisory services spanning property tax, sales tax, and philanthropic strategy, LaShonda has spent her career helping organizations navigate complex regulatory and funding environments. She is also a Global Social Impact Fellow, holds a master’s degree in public administration, and has led strategic development initiatives supporting nonprofits, municipalities, and mission-driven enterprises.

PreQualy was born from her firsthand recognition that billions of dollars in housing assistance remain underutilized each year due to fragmentation, lack of visibility, and misalignment across sectors. Rather than creating another housing program, LaShonda envisioned infrastructure that strengthens existing systems by centralizing resources, improving coordination, and empowering individuals with actionable information.

Through a tri-sector innovation model, she is building PreQualy to serve future homebuyers, real estate professionals, developers, lenders, nonprofits, and public agencies simultaneously, creating shared value across the housing ecosystem.

LaShonda’s leadership is grounded in justice, transparency, and collective power. Her long-term vision is to modernize access to homeownership nationwide, ensuring opportunity is not determined by race, income, or zip code, but by equitable access to information, technology, and coordinated community action.