Tahirih Gomez Smith

My career has been driven by a deep commitment to health, sustainability, and community engagement. I've worked in healthcare policy and healthcare insurance for over 12 years, and I'm currently working at the state level with the state-based exchange under the Affordable Care Act. I believe strongly that as a nation, we need a national health insurance program, and I'm dedicated to promoting that vision and educating and engaging the community to build trust in these systems. Beyond healthcare, I've spent over 26 years working with nonprofit organizations locally, nationally, and internationally on sustainability initiatives. I helped launch the Sustainable Jersey program, working at the municipal level to help communities achieve sustainability through various actions and community engagement. I held workshops, trained people in a train-the-trainer model on topics like rain barrels and green infrastructure, and we started green expos that grew from the municipality to the county and then across the state. I also had the privilege of working with the United Nations, attending the Rio Plus 20 conference as a representative for the Baha'i International Community, focusing on the moral and philosophical aspects of sustainability and meeting with civil society representatives, local mayors, and governors from around the world to develop policies for local and national community development.