Introduction

Mr. Douglas Smith is the Assistant Secretary for the Private Sector. Assistant Secretary Smith leads a team responsible for coordinating, analyzing, and supporting the Department's engagement with the private sector. He brings to the Department over 20 years of experience in business development, communications, coalition building, public policy, and creating and managing public-private partnerships between and among federal, state and local governments and private industry. He has managed large-scale special projects and initiatives both within and outside of the government.

Mr. Smith advises the Secretary on the impact of the Department's policies, regulations, processes, and actions on the private sector and will enhance strategic communications with the private sector to enhance the primary mission of the Department to protect the American homeland.

Prior to his appointment as Assistant Secretary, Mr. Smith was the Managing Partner of T Street Partners, where he provided clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to philanthropic and not-for-profit organizations with strategic counsel and public affairs consulting. During his time with T Street, Mr. Smith successfully managed the winning campaign for the City of Chicago to be the U.S. Designate City for the 2016 Olympics.
Mr. Smith came to T Street partners from Leo Burnett Worldwide, where as a Vice President and account manager, he managed the then-new "Army of One" public relations/public affairs account for the U.S. Army.

During the Clinton-Gore Administration, Mr. Smith served in a variety of positions including as a Deputy Press Secretary as well as Director of Special Projects for Secretary Andrew Cuomo at the Department of Housing and Urban Development and then as the traveling Press Secretary for Secretary Rodney Slater at the Department of Transportation. He was also responsible for helping to manage the 50th Anniversary of NATO in Washington, DC.

Mr. Smith is a graduate of Beloit College where he received a bachelor's degree in international relations and Asian studies. While at Beloit, he also earned a degree from the School for International Training in Chiang Mai, Thailand.