Kenya Smith

Executive Assistant for Intergovernmental Relations

Kenya Smith was appointed Executive Assistant for Intergovernmental Relations to Mayor C. Ray Nagin in August 2005. Smith is responsible for carrying out the Mayor's legislative priorities. To this end, he oversees local, state, and federal governmental relations, and lobbying efforts. He also directs the Mayor’s Office of Public Advocacy, volunteer services, grant monitoring, mayoral fellows and human rights.

Smith previously served as Executive Counsel to the Mayor where he spearheaded and monitored specific initiatives, on the Mayor's behalf, which involved intergovernmental, economic development, and community issues. He also advised Mayor Nagin on contracting and other legal issues.  

Prior to joining Mayor Nagin’s staff, Smith practiced law with Adams & Reese, LLP in the firm’s Transactions and Corporate Advisory Services Group, which represented local, regional, and national clients in matters including general commercial, contracts, intellectual property, securities, employment, real estate, estate planning, and corporate governance. Smith also provided licensing and other regulatory representation before federal, state, and local authorities.

Smith graduated cum laude from Southern University of New Orleans, where he was President of the Student Government Association and Chairman of The Louisiana Council of Student Body Presidents. While earning his B.A. in Political Science, Smith interned at the office of U.S. Senator John Breaux.  

Smith received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin. He was a student member of the American Bar Association House of Delegates, the A B A’s Council to the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, and the Law Student Division Board of Governors. Smith also received the University of Wisconsin Law School Educational Opportunities Program Student of the Year Award and the Andre Saltoun Award for Academic Excellence.

Smith remains active in the community. He is on several committees of the South East Louisiana's American Red Cross Chapter, and is an ardent supporter of the chapter’s various diversity initiatives. He served as chair of the chapter’s 2002 capital campaign.   

A member of the Young Leadership Council of Greater New Orleans, he is Project Leader of Academics of Entrepreneurship ( a joint venture between the YLC and Tulane University’s School of Business that is designed to teach inner city school children about entrepreneurial opportunities ), and a member of DiverCity ( the YLC’s diversity initiative). 

Smith is admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Eastern, Western, and Middle Districts of Louisiana, the Western District of Wisconsin and the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Wisconsin State Bar, the Louisiana State Bar, the American Bar Association, the National Bar Association, the Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, the New Orleans Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association.