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John Warner Smith is the founding Chief Executive Officer of Education’s Next Horizon, a statewide not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting reforms in the public education system. He previously served as Secretary of Labor for Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco from January 2004 to November 2007.
Smith is a former banker, having worked five years as a Vice President in the government banking division of JP Morgan Chase Bank. Prior to joining Chase, he served as Assistant City Manager of Development and Transportation Services for the City of Tallahassee, Florida, where he administered the development arm of city government.
From 1989 to 1997, he served as Chief Administrative Officer for Lafayette Parish and Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, where he oversaw all departments and led the planning and implementation of local government consolidation.
Smith earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from McNeese State University He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. In May 2012, he will receive the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing degree from the University of New Orleans.
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