TERESA SMITH Named APWA Top Ten
Public Works Leader
T
eresa Smith, P.E. has been selected as a Top 10 Public Works Leader for APWA! She is a 35-year veteran in the field of Public Works, in both the public and private sector. Currently, she works as the Georgia Alternative Delivery Practice Ladder for Volkert, Inc. based out of Atlanta, GA. Within APWA, she currently serves as the District 10 Director for the Georgia APWA Chapter. One of her accomplishments being on the Georgia APWA Executive Board is helping to create the Strategic Plan for the Georgia Chapter. Being a woman and a minority in a predominately male field, Teresa has broken through a number of glass ceilings and knocked down several doors to have success in her career. Teresa has worked for several government agencies including the City of Atlanta, Richland County Government (South Carolina), the City of Augusta and the Georgia Department of Transportation. Simply put, Teresa Smith is a trailblazer as a servant of Public Works. Adisa Aarons had the opportunity to sit down with Teresa to talk about her career and the significance of winning this prestigious award.
AA: What does it mean to be chosen as a Top Ten Public Works Leader by APWA? TERESA SMITH (TS): Having started my professional career with the Georgia Department of Transportation, and serving in several capacities in Engineering and Public Works Departments on both the east and west coast, being selected as a Top Ten Public Works Leader is a reflection of the culmination of my career in both public and private sectors. From a very early age my mother instilled in each of her children to always do our best, and when things were going well for us, to look around and see
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Teresa has broken through a number of glass ceilings and knocked down several doors to have success in her career... simply put, Teresa Smith is a trailblazer as a servant of Public Works. how we could assist someone else, either by lending a hand, giving encouragement or setting an example. I have met a lot of wonderful and supportive people along the way in my career, which started during a time when there was not a lot of diversity in the industry. During those times, I learned and have shared with various mentees that it is important to not only have mentors in the area of your profession, but also in other areas that will provide a well-rounded support system. Had it not been for my family, friends, peers and mentors, I would not have been able to gain the experiences that I have these past 35 years. I am truly thankful, grateful and humbled for this recognition from APWA.
AA: What has been your biggest challenge being a woman and a minority in Public Works? TS: There were very few females and even fewer minorities in my classes when I was a student Georgia Southern. In 1983, I was the first African American female to graduate from their Civil Engineering Technology program, so I was already familiar with the low level of diversity in the industry at that time. When I initially started my career, I was located on the West Coast and there were very few African Americans in this industry. However, the primary demographic was Hispanic, so from a minority perspective, there were not any major issues, at least not for me. That
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being said, as a woman in the industry, it was very difficult to get a seat at the table and when I did, it was difficult to be taken seriously. Disparity in pay was also a major issue. Being married to a Marine Officer, there were often references to me not needing the money while my counterparts with less education and experience received higher pay. Later, when I relocated to the east coast, the issues were reversed. I found that gender was less of an issue, while there were more issues related to race. During one of my job interviews, I was posed the question: “You will have a lot of men working for you that are not accustomed to working for someone like you. What do you plan to do about that?” This question came from a very high ranking official, so I was a little taken aback. As time passed and societal advancements were made, there were also changes in the industry. I have had the honor of serving as the first female and first African American Director of Public Works in the City of Augusta, GA and in Richland County, SC. Being a first came with many challenges, but it also provided opportunities to implement change and to strive for improvements.
AA: What has been your biggest accomplishment(s) being a woman and a minority in Public Works? TS: My biggest accomplishments as a woman and minority in Public Works were:
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