Shap Smith

Shapleigh "Shap" Smith, Jr. (born December 16, 1965 in Danbury, Connecticut) is an American politician serving as the Democratic Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives since 2009. Smith is a six-term member representing the Lamoille-Washington 1 District, which includes the Towns of Elmore and Morristown in Lamoille County and Woodbury and Worcester in Washington County. Mr. Smith resides in Morristown with his wife, Melissa Volansky, and their two children.

Smith was first elected to the Vermont House in 2002. He was a member of the House Ways & Means Committee and the Joint Fiscal Committee. On December 6, 2008, House Democrats, who held a 95–48 majority, nominated Smith to be the next Speaker of the Vermont House. Smith was first elected Speaker on January 8, 2009. He was re-elected as Speaker on January 5, 2011, and on January 8, 2013.

Smith is an attorney and shareholder with the law firm of Dinse, Knapp & McAndrew, P.C. in Burlington. He graduated from the University of Vermont (B.A., 1987), and is a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He also attended the Indiana University School of Law - Bloomington (J.D., cum laude, 1991).

Famous quotes containing the word smith:

    The human heart dares not stay away too long from that which hurt it most. There is a return journey to anguish that few of us are released from making.
    —Lillian Smith (1897–1966)