Charleston native Alyssa Maute Smith is the executive director of Charleston Wine + Food, where her passion for community, education, and sustainability is shaping the future of the organization as it reaches its 20th anniversary year. Appointed in 2023 after serving as interim director, she has led the festival to record growth, welcoming thousands of guests and generating millions of dollars in economic impact, while also introducing free community programming and industry-first initiatives to support local talent and create greater equity in the culinary world.
I define leadership as a call to service. It’s a responsibility to serve the people you have the privilege to lead, not just direct them. To me, leadership is rooted in being selfless, which can mean putting others’ needs ahead of your own when it matters and creating an environment where people feel supported, motivated, and connected to a shared purpose. It’s about guiding others toward a common vision while staying grounded in purpose and accountability.
What makes me an effective leader is my genuine care for my team and the vision we’re working toward. I take a people-first approach and see myself as a coach. I focus on building strong teams with talented individuals and then pushing and supporting them to reach their own personal greatness. I listen closely, I read people well, and I have a strong ability to communicate in a way that resonates with each individual, so the message not only lands, but actually drives action. What I’m still working on is delivering tough feedback. When you care deeply about your team, it’s not always easy to say the hard things. But that’s where I lean into that coach mindset. I remind myself that honest, direct feedback is part of helping people grow. My goal is always to motivate and empower, even in those tougher moments, because when they succeed, we all succeed.
Jamee Hayley, the founding executive director of Lowcountry Local First, has meant a lot to me in my career. She leads with a truly people-oriented approach and cares deeply about her community. What stands out most is how she pairs that care with bold action. She’s not afraid to step forward, clearly communicate a vision, and bring people along with her in a way that feels empowering. You can’t tell her no. She is the kind of leader that makes you want to say yes and how can I help.
My greatest fear is letting people down. I have a strong sense of responsibility and empathy, and I care deeply about the people I lead and the commitments I make to them. I manage that fear by reminding myself that leadership isn’t about being the most liked person in the room, it’s about being respected for making sound, ethical decisions. I stay grounded in knowing that my decisions are thoughtful, well-vetted, and rooted in data, and ultimately made in the best interest of helping my team succeed in our shared mission.
The best advice I’ve received is that you can’t control the future, but you can control the present. It’s easy to get caught up in what might happen or what you hope will happen, but that can lead to hesitation or missteps. I’ve learned not to let the promise, or uncertainty, of tomorrow take away from what I can do today. The focus has to stay on taking meaningful, intentional action in the present, because that’s ultimately what shapes the future.
My greatest professional accomplishment is becoming both a mom and an executive leader. Motherhood has made me a better leader. It's given me more perspective, more patience, and a deeper sense of empathy. It’s given me the perspective that life isn’t a to-do list of boxes to check or goals to achieve; it’s meant to be truly experienced in the mess of the day to day. That sense of gratitude for life helps me put even the most stressful work situations into perspective, and it allows me to show up for my team with a calm that helps settle rattled nerves. It has helped me become more compassionate and a more effective communicator, and it’s made me more relatable and someone my team can trust. Those experiences have shaped how I lead in a meaningful way.
Listen first, act second. Taking the time to truly understand people, perspectives, and situations leads to better decisions, stronger relationships, and more effective leadership.
If I could go back and do one thing differently, it would be to care less about what people think. Early on, that mindset can hold you back from making bold decisions or saying what needs to be said. Over time, I’ve learned the importance of stepping into courageous leadership; communicating clearly, acting decisively, and trusting your judgment, even when it’s not the most popular path.
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