CURT SMITH

Curt Smith serves as the president as the Indiana Family Institute.  His 30 year career in public policy development includes stints as an award-winning journalist, 15 years on Capitol Hill in a variety of senior staff roles, think-tank executive and his work at Sommer Barnard as Director of Public Policy and Public Affairs.

A native Hoosier, Curt was educated at Indiana University and is currently pursuing a Masters in Theology at Chicago’s Trinity International University.  He began his career working for two daily newspapers while also serving as a stringer for the New York Times.  He then worked on Capitol Hill as a press secretary, campaign manager, communications director, state director, and chief of staff over a 15 year span for Senator Dan Coats and U.S. Rep. John Hostettler.  Prior to coming to the Family Institute, he was the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Hudson Institute, an Indiana-based international think tank.  Curt joined Sommer Barnard fulltime in 2003 and he continues to serve on the Board and as the Chief Executive Officer of the Indiana Family Institute, a public policy advocacy organization. 

He and his wife, Debbie, have four children and live in Zionsville, Indiana.  He is active in his church, Traders Point Christian Church, where he serves as an elder and is a former Chairman of the Board of Elders.  Curt has received numerous awards and honors over the years, including being named a Sagamore of the Wabash by Governor Robert D. Orr and being listed in Who’s Who in America.