David A. Smith, a principal in the Princeton Public Affairs Group, is a veteran of the public affairs arena and has successfully managed public affairs campaigns impacting auto insurance, life insurance, tort reform and environmental legislative initiatives. Mr. Smith received national acclaim when he was honored with a "Pollie Award" by the American Association of Political Consultants and named to their United States "Public Affairs Team of the Year," the only state lobbyist in the country to receive this honor. Mr. Smith was also named one of the most influential players in New Jersey's Healthcare arena by the Annual HealthSense Listing. David Smith was renominated and confirmed for another four year term as a Commissioner on the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Development Commission. Mr Smith was first appointed in 2005 will serve through 2013 on this commission that meets with producers, location scouts and directors to convince them that New Jersey is an ideal location for film and TV projects. Mr. Smith serves on the National Board of Directors of the Public Affairs Council, and was one of the few contract lobbyists in the Country to be appointed to a National Task Force charged with creating ethical standard for lobbyists throughout the United States. Mr. Smith is a founder and member of the Board of Directors of ProtectingAmerica.org, an advocacy organization Co-chaired by James Lee Witt, former Cabinet member under President Clinton and Admiral James Loy, Deputy Director of Homeland Security under President Bush.
Mr. Smith has appeared on television and radio stations representing clients' interests, authored dozens of articles on politics/policy issues in New Jersey and is a frequent guest speaker/lecturer at national and state conferences, legislative hearings, meetings and seminars. He has been a consultant to statewide and legislative political campaigns and is a member of the Executive Finance Committee of the Assembly Democratic Leadership Committee as well as the New Jersey State Democratic Committee. He is a Committee member of the NJ Society of Association Executives and leads the firm’s multi-state public affairs management services. Mr. Smith also serves as the President of PPAG IA, LLC, a subsidiary company of the Princeton Public Affairs Group, which identifies and manages business development joint venture opportunities. Prior to joining the firm in 1995, Mr. Smith served as Director of Policy and Planning for the New Jersey General Assembly Democratic Office. In that capacity, Mr. Smith supervised the partisan staff of all Assembly Committees and Task Forces while serving as senior staff aide to the insurance and commerce legislative committees. He was a Director with the New Jersey Dental Association from 1985 to 1990 and served on several national and state health care and insurance advisory committees.
Mr. Smith was awarded a Master of Science in Financial Services (MSFS) Degree from the Richard D. Irwin Graduate School of The American College. He is a Graduate Fellow of the Public Affairs Institute, a three year educational program of the Public Affairs Council located in Washington, DC. Mr. Smith also graduated from Gettysburg College and currently holds various insurance licenses. Mr. Smith enjoys coaching his boys in pop warner football, travel lacrosse and snowboarding with his sons Shane Tyler and wife Diana. As a competitor, Mr. Smith won the Catskills Mountain Series "Legends" Division (40-49) and finished 13th in the country during the USA Snowboard Association National Championship at Copper Mountain, Colorado in April 2012.
