Kate Smith
Emeritus Director
Class of ’82
In all things, Kate is a Black woman, and those lived experiences inform everything about her. Kate earned her law degree from Notre Dame and practiced law for almost 25 years before retiring in 2016. Her last position was an assistant general counsel at Verizon where she drafted and negotiated contracts and provided legal advice to sales and marketing global teams. She also practiced commercial litigation at two major law firms and led a contracts division at Motorola. She is also a veteran, having served her country as an acquisition officer after graduation from the United States Air Force Academy.
A member of the third class to admit women, she was the ninth Black woman to do so. She’s a proven leader and problem solver and has worked primarily in aerospace and telecommunication industries. In her second service career, she advised a cadet squadron on ethics and honor. She is the Executive Director of ZASA (Zoomies Against Sexual Assault), a member of the Truman National Security Project, and an Emerge Colorado alum. She has consulted on DEI and Justice efforts with a grassroots veterans’ organization. A lifetime learner, Kate earned a master’s degree in Public Leadership from the University of San Francisco in December 2021.
Most recently, Kate was a contributing author to Attitudes Aren’t Free: A Call to Action (Volume II). Her passion is to educate, communicate and advocate. Kate lives in Phoenix and works part-time at The Challenge Foundation, an organization that provides educational opportunities to scholars from underserved communities.