On Friday, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of David J. Smith to the Miami Dade College (MDC) District Board of Trustees.
Smith, a resident of Miami with extensive ties to the U.S. military and the local legal community, joins the seven-member governing body responsible for overseeing the nation’s largest undergraduate institution.
Smith currently serves in a high-level capacity at the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) in Doral. As the Special Assistant to the Combatant Commander and a speechwriter for the Commander’s Action Group, he plays a key role in drafting strategic messaging and advising on military operations across the Caribbean and Latin America.
Before his current role at SOUTHCOM, Smith served the local community as a prosecutor under Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.
Smith is a graduate of the University of Miami, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in political science, and holds a Juris Doctor from Suffolk University. He also earned a master’s degree from the U.S. Naval War College.
The MDC Board of Trustees is tasked with setting policy, approving the annual budget, and guiding the strategic direction of the college’s eight campuses. Smith’s appointment follows the recent naming of former Rep. José Félix DÃaz and Detective Juan Segovia to the board late last year.
Smith’s appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.