Ellen Smith for Oak Ridge
About Me
I have been an Oak Ridge resident and homeowner for 36 years. My
husband Rich Norby and I moved here from Wisconsin in
1981. We still think we made the right choice when we chose Oak Ridge
over other nearby communities. I am originally from Connecticut, but
Oak Ridge is "home" now. I work as a research staff member in the Environmental Sciences Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where I have participated in or managed a variety of activities related to waste management and the environmental impacts of energy technologies and Department of Energy initiatives.
I have been an active participant in community affairs, particularly those where I can volunteer my technical expertise, including almost 16 years participating in local government as a member of the city’s Environmental Quality Advisory Board. Read Ellen Smith in the Public Record for newspaper articles, letters to the editor, and other news media documentation of my activities up until 2007.
I was elected to City Council in June 2007. I had previously run for City Council in August 2004 (in a special election to fill the remainder of an unexpired term, when I came in second out of six candidates) and in June 2005 (when I received votes from 56% of the voters, but placed fifth behind the four incumbents who ran for re-election). My reasons for running for Council in 2007 are online.
Below are some of the details of my life.
Education and Professional Qualifications
- BA, 1974, Carleton College (Minnesota), Geology
- MS, 1979, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Water Resources Management. (Also completed most requirements for MS in Geology.)
Community and Public Service Activities
In addition to my in-depth understanding of and experience with the diverse (and often complex) environmental issues and concerns facing Oak Ridge, I developed a broad understanding of other local governmental matters through years of involvement with city government and community affairs.Some of my community involvement and recognitions:
City of Oak Ridge Environmental
Quality Advisory Board - First
appointed in August 1991. Served as vice-chairman from 1991 to 1993 and
1995 to 1998; chairman 1993 to 1995 and 1998 to 2007. Term lapsed in September 2007, after I became a member of Council.
Oak Ridge Reservation Local Oversight Committee (LOC), now dissolved. Member, board of directors, 1993-1995 and 1998 to 2011. Chairman from July 2007 to late 2011.
Advocates for the Oak Ridge Reservation (AFORR). Charter member (1999). Vice-president, 1999 to present.
Founding member of the board of Keep Anderson County Beautiful; still on that board.
Oak Ridge High School Stakeholders’ Committee, 2003
Community Leadership Award, UT-Battelle Awards Night, 2001.
Oak Ridge City Center Master Plan Steering Committee, 2001
Oak Ridge Reservation Stewardship Working Group. Participant and contributor to the Oak Ridge Reservation Stakeholder Report on Stewardship, Vol. 2. 1999.
Save Our Cumberland Mountains (SOCM). Member of strip-mining committee. Contributed technical services as expert witness in litigation and in other initiatives related to SOCM's efforts to ensure enforcement of federal surface mining law and state water quality regulations regarding acid mine drainage. Received "Friend of SOCM" Awards in 1988 and 1997.
League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, member
Altrusa International of Oak Ridge, joined in 2006.
Oak Ridge Regional Planning Commission Karst Task Force, 1997
Cub Scout Pack 226 (Linden School), volunteer leader, 1996-1998.
Lower East Fork Poplar Creek Citizens' Working Group, 1992-1994
Greenways Oak Ridge. Participated in the Greenways Task Force (1992-1993), contributed to the task force report and master plan approved by City Council in September 1993, and continued interaction with the Greenways organization.
Association for Women in Science (AWIS) - East Tennessee Chapter. Charter member (1983); Secretary 1984-1986; Award for Service to AWIS-ETC, 1988.
Oak Ridge Reservation Local Oversight Committee (LOC), now dissolved. Member, board of directors, 1993-1995 and 1998 to 2011. Chairman from July 2007 to late 2011.
Advocates for the Oak Ridge Reservation (AFORR). Charter member (1999). Vice-president, 1999 to present.
Founding member of the board of Keep Anderson County Beautiful; still on that board.
Oak Ridge High School Stakeholders’ Committee, 2003
Community Leadership Award, UT-Battelle Awards Night, 2001.
Oak Ridge City Center Master Plan Steering Committee, 2001
Oak Ridge Reservation Stewardship Working Group. Participant and contributor to the Oak Ridge Reservation Stakeholder Report on Stewardship, Vol. 2. 1999.
Save Our Cumberland Mountains (SOCM). Member of strip-mining committee. Contributed technical services as expert witness in litigation and in other initiatives related to SOCM's efforts to ensure enforcement of federal surface mining law and state water quality regulations regarding acid mine drainage. Received "Friend of SOCM" Awards in 1988 and 1997.
League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, member
Altrusa International of Oak Ridge, joined in 2006.
Oak Ridge Regional Planning Commission Karst Task Force, 1997
Cub Scout Pack 226 (Linden School), volunteer leader, 1996-1998.
Lower East Fork Poplar Creek Citizens' Working Group, 1992-1994
Greenways Oak Ridge. Participated in the Greenways Task Force (1992-1993), contributed to the task force report and master plan approved by City Council in September 1993, and continued interaction with the Greenways organization.
Association for Women in Science (AWIS) - East Tennessee Chapter. Charter member (1983); Secretary 1984-1986; Award for Service to AWIS-ETC, 1988.