M.E. Smith leads Strategies 360’s Colorado practice as the Senior Vice President. With deep expertise in campaign management, M.E. is known for her ability to build and lead successful teams that deliver election wins, including three sitting senators and a former governor. She also provides deep policy analysis, strategic guidance and relationship management that moves client’s critical issues forward.

Most recently, she guided the successful U.S. Senatorial bid for Senator John Hickenlooper. As Senator Hickenlooper’s campaign manager, M.E. pivoted a 38-person staff from a traditional in-person campaign to a fully remote structure in response to the COVID-19 crisis. She oversaw a team managing communications and media, polling, and fundraising at all levels. In total, she managed a $44 million budget which included the largest paid communications campaign in state history. All of which resulted in a 9.5-point margin win for the Senator – the largest margin for a Colorado Senate challenger in 40 years.

Her previous work on senatorial campaigns includes the victories of Senator Bob Casey from Pennsylvania in 2018 and Senator Michael Bennet from Colorado in 2016. M.E. also helped deliver Governor Hickenlooper’s re-election win in 2014.

M.E. long served then-Governor Hickenlooper helping lead his policy team. In her role as a Senior Policy Director, she oversaw a team of three working on environmental, natural resources, infrastructure, and public safety issues in Colorado. In previous policy roles with the Governor, she worked on a diverse portfolio of issues that included environmental, agriculture, military affairs and election policy. M.E. was also instrumental in supporting federal and multi-state relationships. She served as an executive committee member and staff counsel to the Western Governor’s Association.

Born in Alaska and raised in Idaho, M.E. has deep western roots. She now calls Colorado home where she enjoys camping, hiking, and whitewater rafting. She also enjoys travel. M.E. holds a Bachelor’s from Tufts University and a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.