Smith began her career at Newport News in 2002 as an engineer in the aircraft carrier overhaul program. She has since held positions of increasing responsibility, including interim director of construction engineering for the Ford-class, engineering lead for Integrated Digital Shipbuilding, director of quality control responsible for all nuclear, non-nuclear and non-destructive testing inspectors, and program director for Columbia-class construction.

Smith earned a mechanical engineering degree from North Carolina State University and an MBA from The College of William and Mary.