Stefanie Howell, currently serving Smithfield as the Chair of the Economic Development Commission, has declared her candidacy for the Smithfield Town Council.
Howell was appointed to the Economic Development Commission in 2015 and was elected as Chair of the Commission in 2020. She has helped to launch initiatives aimed at promoting local businesses such as the Exploring Smithfield event and the Apple Trails scavenger hunt. Regarding her time on the Commission, Howell states, “It has been a pleasure to learn about the many businesses operating in Town, the families running them, and gain insight on how to best support them.”
Previously a member and officer of the Old County Road School Parent Teachers Association, Howell now volunteers as the Committee Chair for Scouting America Troop 438 (formerly Boy Scouts of America). She also serves as Vice Chair of the Scouting America Narragansett Council Northwest District Committee and works to improve the Scouting experience for local Scouts including her two teenagers, who are students in the Smithfield Public Schools.
In addition to serving the Town, Howell works full time as Senior Legal Counsel in the Rhode Island Department of Revenue. Her career experience includes assisting individuals and small businesses experiencing financial difficulties, which she has applied to her current work resolving debts owed to the State. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University and Northeastern University School of Law, Howell is enthusiastic about practical problem solving and making decisions soundly based on research and expert advice. She states, “I am committed to serving all of the residents of Smithfield with professionalism and integrity.”