Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rep. Smith 'Top Woman'

State Representative Judy Seriale Smith of Camden has been selected by Arkansas Business magazine as one of the top 100 women in Arkansas.

Rep. Smith was one of five members of the Arkansas General Assembly to make the list that recently appeared in the Little Rock-based business publication.

In the article accompanying the feature in Arkansas Business, Rep. Smith is quoted as saying her achievements could not have been imagined by her as a child. Growing up in rural south Louisiana, Rep. Smith's background pointed her more toward farming than to education. She became the first in her family to graduate from college when she earned a degree in social work from Grambling State University.

Rep. Smith said she regarded her 1990 election to the House of Representatives as her most significant personal accomplishment to date.

"I had no money, no time, no information, no political experience and I am female and black," she said. "I demonstrated strong determination, a strong faith in God, shook as many as a thousand hands a day and won by 34 votes."

Rep. Smith is serving her third term in the General Asssembly and represents portions of Nevada, Columbia and Ouachita counties. She currently serves as House vice chair of the Legislative Joint Committee on Children and Youth and is a member of the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee and of the House Aging and Legislative Affairs Committee.

Rep. Smith last year won election as Deputy Majority Leader for the House of Representatives. Other legislative duties include service on a special legislative committee for implementing Amendment 73, the term limitation amendment, and membership on the House Management Subcommittee and on the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee. In addition, Rep. Smith is a member of the Children, Families and Health Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures.