Debbie Smith, MM*, is the founder and CEO of AHA! Movement, a national nonprofit dedicated to anti-hazing awareness, created in loving memory of her son, Matthew Carrington.
Matt died on February 2, 2005, after enduring a horrific water torture hazing pledging a fraternity at the California State University, Chico (CSUC). Ever since Matt’s death, Smith’s primary mission has been to bring awareness to the often tortuous and sometimes fatal practice of hazing.
To this end, she has:
• Participated in various global and national hazing television documentaries as well as local and national televised hazing talk shows and radio programs
• Published hazing thought leadership and expertise in books and news magazines
• Provided interviews for global, national and local newspapers, magazine articles and books related to the topic of hazing
• Delivered hazing speeches, seminars and educational programs at colleges, high schools, middle schools, parent and community groups, fundraisers and professional organizations
• Co-founded and organized a national hazing parent support network
Founded in 2015, AHA! supports at-risk hazing populations through education, awareness, the promotion of positive group dynamics and personal value structures. With support from renowned hazing expert Dr. Elizabeth Allen, AHA! used national hazing data to identify the age “hazing” took root in human behavior. Following, in partnership with Dr. Allen, Smith and AHA! created the nation’s first-ever middle school hazing awareness program to erase the generational cycle of hazing. In addition, AHA! has worked and partnered with various cities and community organizations (notably the city of Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Clayton, Concord, Danville, San Ramon, and Matt’s beloved San Francisco Giants) to increase awareness of the dangers and horrors of hazing.
In the immediate aftermath of Matt’s death, Smith was the driving force for a plea bargain for the seven young men charged with killing her son, a process which resulted in the first-ever felony conviction for an act of hazing in the United States. A year after Matt’s passing, she also led the effort to pass Matt’s Law, which made it a felony in the California State Penal Code to seriously injure or kill someone during a hazing. Passage of Matt’s Law helped shape the national conversation and resulting updates to fraternity and sorority pledge codes of conduct at universities nationwide.
In addition to running AHA!, Smith is an avid community volunteer. She currently serves as Ambassador Chair for the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce as well as sits on their Board, is a fervent supporter of the annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life fight against cancer, and is a past board member for Pleasant Hill Baseball Association, a nonprofit organization where she held both Secretary and Treasurer positions.
She earned the 2014 City of Pleasant Hill Ambassador of the Year award through her volunteer work. In 2018, she was awarded the prestigious Jefferson Award for public service. And in 2023, she was named Contra Costa County Woman of the Year by Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa.
When she’s not working on AHA!, volunteering, or networking, Smith works part-time as an accountant. And much like Matt, Smith, Greg, her husband of 33 years, and Matt’s younger brother, Travis — Smith’s pride and joy — are all die-hard San Francisco Giant fans.
*Smith added the “MM” to her name after Matt’s death—short for Matt’s Mom.
