Before entering the legal field, Ms. Smead spent most of her adult life in federal service as both a civilian employee and a federal contractor. For six years, she worked at Kirtland Air Force Base as a tool and parts attendant, supporting aircraft safety by maintaining rigorous accountability procedures to ensure no tools or parts were left on helicopters before flight. She held this role while completing her undergraduate degree, working through the COVID‑19 pandemic, and beginning law school in fall 2022. For five of those years, she worked overnight shifts, a demanding schedule she maintained through most of her legal education.

As a nontraditional student who completed law school at age 37, Ms. Smead brings perspective, resilience, and a steady work ethic to her practice. Her career reflects a lifelong dedication to the values her parents instilled in her of service to those around you, determination, and perseverance.

During law school, Ms. Smead excelled academically and as an advocate. She graduated cum laude after earning the Clinic Honors Award and the CALI Award for her work in the Economic Justice/Southwest Indian Law Clinic.

Ms. Smead’s ties to Albuquerque are longstanding. As the child of an Air Force servicemember, she first lived in the city in the early 1990s and returned in 1998. In a rare occurrence for a child of a military member, Ms. Smead completed all but four years of grade school here in Albuquerque. After briefly moving away for four years in her twenties, she returned home in 2017 and is proud to serve the various communities in Albuquerque that helped shape who she is today.

Ms. Smead is also committed to a well-rounded life outside her practice. She and her fiancé enjoy spending their free time working on home projects, attending different concerts, and relaxing. He is teaching her to play disc golf, a hobby they can enjoy together. They also remain closely connected to their families, which grounds her work in a strong sense of community and balance.