Dr. Michael D. Smith, Operations Manager for The PEER Group, has over 30 years of experience in non-profit organizational operations and change management, governance, program development, strategic planning, meeting and event planning, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) advocacy in STEM. His evolved leadership style includes direct shareholder engagement that spans pre-college through workforce and nurtured client relationships with a foundation in collaborative networks. Through his passion for DEI, he has delivered and supported strategies that have elevated the DEI efforts within non-profits, academia and industry in their support of underrepresented minorities, women, persons with disabilities, persons within and allies to the LGBTQIA+ community.

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Known by many as “Dr. Mike”, he serves as Executive Director of the National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates (NAMEPA, Inc.), was the former Deputy Executive Director of The National GEM Consortium (GEM), and past Interim Deputy Executive Director and Director of Programs for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE).

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Michael holds a B.S. and M.S. in chemical engineering from Missouri University of Science & Technology (UM-Rolla) and doctorate in chemical engineering/engineering management from Texas A&M University. Dr. Mike is a Lifetime Member of NSBE, SHPE, AISES (Sequoyah Fellow), and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.