Gail Burns-Smith retired in June, 2004 from the Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services, Inc. after 18 years as the executive director and is currently providing consultation and training on the national level, as well as continuing to do national public policy work. She is the Co-Founder of the National Alliance To End Sexual Violence, formerly known as the National Alliance of Sexual Assault Coalitions, and has worked as an advocate for sexual assault victims and their families for the last 24 years. Gail is professionally affiliated with a number of state and national organizations, and presently serves as Treasurer of the board of the National Crime Victim Law Institute, as Vice President of Legislation for the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, and remains on the National Advisory Board of the Association For the Treatment of Sexual Abusers and the National Resource Group for The Center for Sex Offender Management.

Gail, along with David D'Amora of Connections, Inc and staff of the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch of Connecticut created a model team response to supervising and treating sex offenders in the community. This project has been named a Resource Site by the Center for Sex Offender Management. She also has co-authored, with Mr. D'Amora, an article published by the Journal for the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, about the necessary collaborative response to community management of sex offenders and the need for a victim advocacy component.

Gail has presented at state, national and international conferences on issues regarding sexual victimization, and she has received awards from Connecticut N.O.W., the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the Connecticut Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault , the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, National Crime Victim Law Center, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for her advocacy work.

Gail currently serves on the advisory board for Jane Doe No More, Inc.