Nick E. Smith is a seasoned former Executive Director, public policy strategist, advocate, and executive with over 15 years of experience advancing justice system reform, housing equity, and civic engagement at the city, state, and national levels. He most recently served as First Deputy Public Advocate for the City of New York from 2019 to 2024—helping lead one of the highest-ranking elected offices in the city.

As First Deputy, Nick oversaw the agency’s legislative, policy, communications, and community engagement divisions, representing Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams in federal, state-level, and citywide matters. His leadership spanned diverse priorities including tenant rights, land use reform, public safety, education equity, and mental health reform.

Before his citywide appointment, Nick was a Legislative Representative in the de Blasio Administration, where he negotiated more than 200 pieces of legislation and advised senior city agency leaders on budget and policy strategy. Notably, he led negotiations for the landmark law that made all phone calls free for people incarcerated on Rikers Island.

Nick also served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Budget Director to then-Council Member Williams, where he co-founded the National Network to Combat Gun Violence (nncgv.org). He previously worked in the State Legislature as Director of Legislation and Communications to Assembly Member Linda B. Rosenthal, and was Coordinator of the Education from the Inside Out Coalition, a national bipartisan initiative that helped restore Pell Grant access for incarcerated college students.

In the nonprofit sector, Nick served as Executive Director of a nonprofit housing law firm, deepening his expertise in tenant protections, eviction prevention, and access to legal representation for low-income New Yorkers.

His public service began in California, where he was appointed Commissioner in the City of Berkeley. He chaired the Commission on Labor and served on the Housing Advisory Commission, advising the City Council on housing policy and tenant-landlord appeals.

Nick holds a J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley.