Education
Cuyahoga Community College. Harvard Kennedy School. Harvard University.
Cuyahoga Community College. Harvard Kennedy School. Harvard University.
She is a Democrat.
Smith has worked in sales and marketing, and as a radio talk-show host for a major radio station in Cleveland, and has also served as an independent consultant for Coca-Cola Bottling Company. When incumbent C. J. Prentiss decided to run for the, Smith and four other Democrats sought to replace her in the 1998 primary election. In 2002, Smith again faced a primary challenge from four other Democrats, due to redistricting.
She went unopposed in the general election and was unopposed for the 2004 general election.
Foreign the 126th General Assembly, Smith served as secretary of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC). In late 2005, Smith announced that she would run to succeed term-limited Prentiss in the Senate, along with Representatives Annie L. Key, Claudette Woodard and two other Democrats.
While it was a contested primary, Smith defeated the opposition to take the District 21 nomination with 50.86% of the votes. In the 127th General Assembly, Smith served as president of the OLBC. Early in 2008, the Senate Democrats ousted Minority Leader Teresa Fedor and replaced her with Ray Miller, as well as Smith as assistant minority leader.
With the beginning of the 128th General Assembly, the caucus retained Smith in her role as assistant minority leader under Capri Cafaro.
Smith resigned a month prior to the end of her term.
Previously, she was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives.