Patricia Smith has been the head coach for a university field hockey team, lived in several major cities including Concord, N.H., Ann Arber, Mich. and Havertown, Pa. and been a human resources director for a number of small and national businesses. 

 Now, after moving to the city three years ago, the 46-year-old has set her sights on the open South Portland City Council District Two seat, currently filled by Kay Loring. 

“I’ve been in a lot of different cities and seen a broad and diverse depth of what city councils can do,” Smith said. “I’ve always been lucky enough to bring that to the table.”

Raised in Concord as a “huge outdoor person,” Smith graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with her bachelor of science in sports management before taking the reins of the University of Michigan women’s field hockey team for 10 years. Smith said skills she developed on the playing field helped her begin a career in human resources for an outdoor equipment company that sent her to Pennsylvania for her first assignment. 

“You don’t lead a team without having a purpose,” she said. 

After “turning around” one of the company’s retail stores, Smith earned a business graduate degree from Drexel University in Philadelphia. While she quickly advanced in her field, Smith said she always harbored a desire to return to New England. 

“The work chose me, I didn’t choose the place,” she said. 

In 2005 Smith said making the choice between taking a position in Burlington, Vt. or becoming the director of human resources and wholesale sales at Planet Dog in Portland was a “no-brainer.”

“I love South Portland, you can hop on the bridge and enjoy everything in Portland, but you’re not in the middle of the city,” she said. “It’s the perfect place to enjoy life.”

Smith said she particularly enjoys the natural beauty of the area surrounding her home in the Meetinghouse Hill neighborhood. 

“There’s so much beautiful open space, there’s [Sawyer Marsh and Trout Brook],” she said. “I’m a huge environmentalist.”

Although Smith describes herself as a “rookie” to the political arena, she hopes current councilors will be receptive to her concerns about the environment.

“[Councilor] Tom Blake has been instrumental around Sawyer Marsh and Trout Brook, two very important topics for me. I’m sure there are other areas in the city that I can’t wait to learn about that could use some attention,” she said. 

Smith said she hopes to combine her business experience and a passion for the outdoors to keep the city moving in the right direction both for the local economy and environment.

“Conservation doesn’t mean I don’t want to look at development opportunities,” she said. “I just want to be a good steward.”

Although Smith wasn’t able to attend the South Portland City Council workshop where local developer Maine Renewable Energy Consortium proposed constructing a $17 million, 60,000 square foot chemical and electricity plant on a covered landfill, she said she  is looking forward to learning more. 

“One thing that comes up to me is that we’d be trading one resource for another, so we need to do our homework,” she said. “Business has taught me about consequences and that there are also a lot of unplanned consequences that can happen. I’ve learned that when you think you know everything, you should ask a few more questions. [The proposed plant] is a great example of what I would face as a councilor, it’s my passion and I’m psyched to get into it.”

Smith said when considering issues such as the proposed plant, she felt it was also important to consider the financial benefit for the city. 

“We have to learn to be fiscally responsible. How do we grow smart, how many jobs does any one project give us, are they out of state specialists or would it create jobs for locals? These are the kind of questions we need to ask,” she said. 

While Smith isn’t shy about being an advocate for the environment and strong business practices, she said she’s hoping to develop opinions on other city issues as they are presented to the council. 

“I hope people don’t define me on any one issue,” she said. “I have a lot to offer.”

After two months of considering running for the District Two seat, she’s excited to finally kickoff her campaign. 

“I don’t jump into anything quickly,” she said. “I took the time to make sure it’s where I wanted to go. I was the first to put in my papers to show my commitment and my full involvement. I’ve never really been in a public office but it’s the right time in my life to take a big leap and a jump. For me, it feels right.”

Smith said after speaking with current and past councilors, she believes the most important thing a city official can do is make sure to be “accessible and transparent.”

“I plan on being available either by phone or email, which is a big deal,” she said. “I want to be an advocate and a voice; to do that you need to be accessible for folks. It’s a skill I already know through my work, you’re not really in the HR business unless you’re a great listener.”

At Planet Dog, Smith has not only inherited the duties of a human resources director, but she currently manages eight salespeople for the company and has gotten used to “putting on a lot of hats” – something she said is a skill requirement for any city council member who plans to be active in the community. 

“When you work for any small company, that’s what you do,” she said. “Coming together and getting things done has always been a point of pride for me.”

Smith said although this is her first campaign for public office, she’s not intimidated by going up against more experienced politicians. 

“I’m here to create a new face with some new ideas for the council,” she said. 

For more information on Smith’s campaign, email pattismithforsouthportland@yahoo.com or visit www.pattismithforsouthportland.com.