Jon Smail

About Jon Smail

Professional Mission Statement Driven to lead at the intersection of people, planning, and policy—for the public good. People – Leading teams, developing individuals, fostering principled relationships, growing partnerships, and investing in leaders to strengthen organizations and communities. Planning – Creating short- and long-term strategies to deliver community services, improve infrastructure, boost economic growth, and manage land use changes effectively. Policy – Leveraging government tools—such as ordinances, budgets, legislation, and regulatory frameworks—to drive meaningful change and position communities for long-term success.The story of my career goes something like this:For the past 12 years, I’ve worked as a federal government civilian and an Air Force Reservist/Guarsdman — roles that have developed my skills, given me the chance to lead, and offered meaningful opportunities to serve. But alongside that, I’ve been quietly building a second track — preparing myself for the kind of work I’ve always been passionate about: local government, planning, and community development. I’ve always had an assigned federal mission — but I’ve always felt drawn to a much more local mission.While excelling in my federal career, I was preparing for my next career. That preparation included serving on city council, working as a part-time planner and GIS analyst, launching a small planning consulting company, chairing community boards and committees, and pursuing graduate education. And along the way, I was fortunate to weave those same passions into my federal roles — from infrastructure planning and stakeholder engagement to policy advising and executive strategy.Each step was intentional — a way to build the skills, insights, and relationships I’d need to eventually step into work I love.And now, I’m ready. I’m looking for roles that allow me to lead people, planning, and policy to shape better communities and improve public life — the kind of work I’ve been building toward all along.#People #Planning # Policy #Community #Public

Experience

1. Advisor, Data & Ai Enablement

   U.S. Air Force Reserve

   May 2024 — Present · Offutt Air Force Base, NE, US

   Leads enterprise efforts to leverage data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning as strategic assets for mission and business operations. Oversees implementation of DoD and federal data strategies, directs research partnerships with academia and industry, and drives a culture of innovation through training programs, grassroots cohorts, and deployment of emerging technologies. Ensures trusted data governance, compliance with federal mandates, and alignment of advanced analytics with national defense priorities.

Education

• University of Colorado Denver

  Master's degree, Public Administration

• Colorado State University Global

  Bachelor’s Degree, B.S. Business Management

  2013 — 2014

• University of Colorado Denver

  Master's degree, Urban and Regional Planning

• University of Northern Colorado

  Geographic Information Science and Cartography

  2015 — 2016