CWI adds a new trustee

Kevin Richert | 07/31/2023

A former Boise City Council member and aide to Dirk Kempthorne is the College of Western Idaho’s newest trustee.

Smith most recently served as board chair for the United Way of Treasure Valley and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Ada County. Prior to that, Smith served in several capacities in local and state government.

At the municipal level, Smith was an elected Boise City Council member. During Kempthorne’s tenure as Boise mayor, Smith also served as his chief of staff.

When Kempthorne was later elected governor, Smith served as his deputy chief of staff from 1999 to 2004, and headed the state’s Department of Insurance from 2004 to 2006.

“These are exciting times for CWI with the recent announcement of the significant expansion of their physical footprint, and I am honored to continue my long history of community service as part of the leadership team of College of Western Idaho,” Smith said in a news release.

In the same release, board chair Molly Lenty praised Smith’s experience and leadership. “His commitment to serving and assisting his community is truly commendable.”

Smith succeeds Zone 4 trustee Annie Pelletier Hightower, who resigned in June.

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [email protected]