Dr. Barbara Smith to Join Democratic Party of Georgia’s Coordinated Campaign as Co-Chair

Dr. Barbara Smith to Join Democratic Party of Georgia’s Coordinated Campaign as Co-Chair

Atlanta, GA – Today, Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter announced that Dr. Barbara Smith will serve as a co-chair of the state party’s coordinated campaign.

“Georgia Democrats are honored to have Dr. Smith join our team,” said Chairman Porter in a statement. “November’s election will determine whether or not our state will chart a course to provide future generations with the opportunity they deserve. Dr. Smith shares our belief that the surest path to a strong economy and middle class begins with a quality public education for every student—regardless of geography, gender, or background. She is a proven leader and I look forward to working with her.”

Find Dr. Smith’s bio below.

Dr. Barbara Smith has provided leadership in secondary, postsecondary, and business alliances for AVID Center for more than 17 years.  As Vice President of Government Relations and Equity, Barbara has supported key initiatives through leveraging and increasing alliances with external organizations.  Barbara also monitors education legislation and develops advocacy guides to support student persistence while in college and their success beyond college.

Currently, Barbara collaborates with Institutions of Higher Education to launch initiatives aimed at promoting pipelines designed to exponentially increase the college graduation rates of all students—especially low wealth students and students of color.  Dr. Smith has successfully developed a national team which has launched AVID Alumni Associations at 9 colleges and universities across the United States.

The majority of Dr. Smith’s career in education was with the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE) and the DeKalb County School District. At the GDOE, Barbara provided statewide educational support through her roles as Executive Director of the Metro School Service Centers, Divisional Director for Instructional Support and Associate Director of the Georgia Leadership Academy.   She also served as Assistant Principal for Instruction at Ronald E. McNair Junior High School and initiated an Individualized School Development Plan that resulted in high performance teacher practices, increased student achievement, and high-level community engagement.  Dr. Smith also taught graduate courses as an adjunct instructor at Georgia State University.

As part of her civic engagement, Dr. Smith served a six-year term on the Executive Board of the National Dropout Prevention Network and the Executive Board of Health Education and Human Development at Clemson University.  Barbara currently serves as Vice President of the Georgia State University College of Education Alumni Network and is actively engaged as a member of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Democratic National Committee, Emily’s List, Georgia Democratic Victory Fund, and Ebenezer Baptist Church Women’s Ministry.

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