Lis Smith

Lis Smith (born October 15, 1982) is an American political strategist affiliated with the Democratic Party. She is most well known for being the senior advisor for Pete Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign and the director of rapid response for Barack Obama's 2012 campaign. She has also directed communications and strategy for a number of other gubernatorial, mayoral and congressional campaigns. Early life and education Smith was born to lawyers Thomas, cousin of Senator Sam Ervin, and Adrienne Smith and was raised in Bronxville, New York, along with her twin brother Angus, and older siblings Ashley and Toby. In 2001, she graduated Bronxville High School. Smith double majored in government and anthropology at Dartmouth College, graduating in 2005. During her time at Dartmouth, she volunteered for John Edwards' 2004 presidential campaign. Career She worked on Tom Daschle's 2004 Senate campaign as a field organizer. In 2006, she went to work on Claire McCaskill's Senate campaign in Missouri. After McCaskill's win, she joined the 2007 Kentucky gubernatorial campaign of Bruce Lunsford and Greg Stumbo as traveling press secretary. She was also communications director for Dan Seals' 2008 Illinois House race. In 2009, she became press secretary for Terry McAuliffe and Jon Corzine's gubernatorial races before moving on to becoming the communications director for Ted Strickland's 2010 Ohio governor's race. She became communications director for the Democratic Governors Association in 2011. As communications director for the DGA, she oversaw gubernatorial campaign efforts in Kentucky and West Virginia. 2012–2016 In 2012, she became director of the rapid response team for Barack Obama's 2012 presidential campaign. While working for the Obama campaign she met David Axelrod, whom Smith considers a mentor. In 2013, she moved back to New York and became the press secretary for Eliot Spitzer's New York City comptroller campaign, an attempted political comeback after his prostitution scandal. She later worked as the spokeswoman for Bill de Blasio's mayoral run in 2013. In 2014, she became a communication consultant for Adriano Espaillat's congressional campaign.