Pete Smith
Pete Smith currently serves as Chief of Government Relations and Communications for the Mississippi Department of Education. Prior to joining MDE Smith served as Governor Haley Barbour’s press secretary. Smith is a Mass Communications graduate of Mississippi College (MC). He began his career as sports information director at MC, subsequently working for four years as communications director for (then) State Auditor Phil Bryant. He currently serves on Mississippi Public Broadcasting Board of Directors and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Association of School Boards (NASB) National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) advisory board.
Smith also is past president of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi (PRAM) and of PRAM - Central. Smith is married to the former Rosiland Samuel and they have one daughter Chloe. They currently reside in Madison, MS.