MURIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
May 22, 2024
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
In accordance with section 2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-
142; D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01), and pursuant to section 203 of the Board of Ethics and
Government Accountability Establishment and Comprehensive Ethics Reform Amendment Act of
2011, effective April 27, 2012 (D.C. Law 19-124; D.C. Official Code § 1-1162.03), I am pleased to
nominate the following individual:
Ms. Felice C. Smith
Vista Street, NE
Washington, DC 20018
(Ward 5)
for reappointment as a member of the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability, for a term to
end July 1, 2030.
Enclosed, you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-mentioned
nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
Sincerely,
Muriel Bowser
Mayor
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at the request of the Mayor
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5
6 A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
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10 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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15 To confirm the reappointment of Felice C. Smith to the Board of Ethics and Government
16 Accountability.
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18 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this
19 resolution may be cited as the "Board of Ethics and Government Accountability Felice C. Smith
20 Confirmation Resolution of 2024".
21 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the reappointment of:
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23 Ms. Felice C. Smith
24 Vista Street, NE
25 Washington, DC 20018
26 (Ward 5)
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28 as a member of the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability, established by section 202
29 of the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability Establishment and Comprehensive Ethics
30 Reform Amendment Act of 2011 , effective April 27, 2012 (D.C. Law 19-124; D.C. Official
31 Code§ 1-1162.02), for a term to end July 1, 2030.
32 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
33 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
34 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
 FELICE C. SMITH
Licensed to Practice in Virginia and District of Columbia
CAREER SUMMARY
Attorney with 15 years of progressively responsible experience providing full range of legal services, executive-
level program management, and board support in highly-transparent, public sector enterprises.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
• Policy Administration • Corporate Governance
• Freedom of Information Programs • Stakeholder Collaboration
• Public Sector Ethics • Board Management and Support
EXPERIENCE
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Arlington, VA February 2019 – Present
The Airports Authority is an interstate compact agency that operates the two-airport system of Reagan National
and Dulles International airports. Governed by a 17-member Board of Directors, the organization consists of
1600+ staff employed in central administration, airport management, and police and fire departments.
Vice President and Secretary, March 2024 – Present
Serve as liaison between Board members, executives, senior staff, trade and professional associations, and
Federal, state, and local agencies. Ensure Board members have proper information and resources to discharge
their fiduciary duties to the enterprise and the public in accordance with Bylaws. Manage the Board Office,
including its staff and operating budget. Serve as Special Advisor to the Board Chair. Ensure preparation of
substantive materials and administrative and logistical support for Board meetings, Board Committee meetings
and Board Workshops. Maintain official copies of minutes, proceedings, declarations, directives, and other
governing documents. Serve as the Chief Freedom of Information (FOI) Officer, overseeing release of records
to the public under the FOI Policy. Manage Board Office communications including members’ calendars,
meeting agendas, etc. Onboards new Board members, identify training, and organize off-site retreats. Brief Board
members as needed in preparation for official events.
Associate General Counsel and Ethics Officer, February 2019 – February 2024
Advised Board members and employees as corporate Ethics Officer. Reviewed potential conflicts of interest for
Board members and managed recusals in advance of Board and Committee meetings. Managed organization
ethics program, including updating Codes of Ethics, advising Board members and employees, reviewing Board
and employee financial disclosures, providing annual ethics training to all Board members and employees, and
preparing the annual report to Board on ethics program compliance. Conducted ethics clearances for federal
Board nominees in collaboration with Office of Government Ethics, Department of Transportation, and the
White House. Provided legal review of Freedom of Information (FOI) releases and prepared recommendations
in appeals for the Risk Management Committee. Served as lead counsel reviewing draft policies proposed by
Airport Managers. Advised on public safety, airport security, environmental law, procurement, and ground
transportation licensing. Provided support and oversight of outside counsel and records management contracts.
• Received awards for exhaustive overhaul of Code of Ethics and training innovations in 2021 and 2023
• Negotiated successful settlement of claims following employee arbitration hearing
 EXPERIENCE, continued
Export-Import Bank of the United States, Washington, DC June 2012 - January 2019
EXIM is the official export credit agency of the United States. Headed by a Board of Directors, and supported
by Congressionally established advisory committees, EXIM supports U.S. jobs by providing loans, guarantees,
and insurance for American businesses to compete for global sales.
Deputy Chief Ethics Officer, July 2017 – January 2019
Supported the Senior Vice President and Chief Ethics Officer in establishing an independent, executive-level
ethics and information access office. Served as Alternate Designated Agency Ethics Official, responsible for day-
to-day administration of agency ethics program across 13 local and regional agency offices, and deputy to the
Chief Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Officer. Provided direct supervision for FOIA staff and overseeing
$1M+ FOIA support contract. Developed agency regulations, policies, and procedures on release of non-public
information. Advised agency officials on novel, politically sensitive disclosure questions with precedential effect.
Oversaw preparation of annual report to the Department of Justice.
• Issued “First Year Self-Assessment Report” to Chief Operating Officer on agency ethics program
• Planned and executed inaugural agency-wide “Sunshine Week” event featuring expert speakers to
engage agency stakeholders and increase visibility of information access programs
Senior Counsel for Administration, June 2012 – June 2017
Provided advice and counsel to managers and employees in all aspects of administrative law. Served as legal
counsel to the FOIA Office and drafted formal appeal decisions. Oversaw policy administration, preparing drafts
of new and updated policies for Executive Committee approval. Analyzed legislative proposals, executive orders
and other matters requiring statutory interpretation. Served as lead counsel for all components of agency ethics
program, including training, financial disclosure, and advising employees on Standards of Conduct. Represented
agency in litigation before Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Merit Systems Protection Board; and
federal courts.
• Received 2014 award for managing voluminous records production, including training staff attorneys
on redaction principles, to respond to a series of urgent Congressional requests
• Led agency-wide policy management project, ensuring preparation of policy inventory and review
schedule, establishing approval workflow for responsible organization business units
Library of Congress, Washington, DC August 2006 – May 2012
The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs,
newspapers, maps and manuscripts in its collections; the main research arm of Congress; and home to the U.S.
Copyright Office. The Library operates across three Capitol Hill campuses and facilities spanning 4.4M sq. ft.
Assistant General Counsel, Office of General Counsel: Administered agency ethics program, including providing annual
training and financial disclosure review of 300+ OGE 278s. Advised staff on conflicts of interest, gifts, outside
employment, and post-employment. Defended agency in administrative and federal court litigation. Represented
agency in hearings before administrative law judges in adverse action appeals. Investigated tort claims and
negotiated settlement with claimants and insurance companies. Served as agency liaison to the Office of
Compliance, Architect of the Capitol, preparing agency responses to alleged safety and health code violations.
• Crafted policies on children’s internet safety to support creation of the Young Readers Center
• Negotiated with police union on transition under Capitol Police and Library of Congress Police merger
 EXPERIENCE, continued
U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC September 2011 – February 2012
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia represents the United States and its
departments and agencies in civil proceedings filed in federal courts in the District of Columbia.
Special Assistant United States Attorney, Civil Division: Represented various federal agencies during a six-month detail,
handling cases on the Civil Division’s defensive case docket from inception to final resolution. Provided first-
chair defense in 30+ cases before District Court and Court of Appeals involving employment discrimination;
premises liability and other torts; statutory and constitutional challenges to government programs; Administrative
Procedure Act claims; and FOIA and Privacy Act appeals. Assisted senior AUSAs with discovery and motions
in complex litigation matters.
• Deposed technical experts in high-dollar tort claim due to “slip-and-fall”
• Assisted in preparing for oral argument re: burden of proof in “single motive” discrimination claims
BOARD MEMBERSHIPS
Capitol Hill Day School Board of Trustees, Secretary; Executive Committee; DEI Committee Chair, 2022 – Present
District of Columbia Board of Ethics and Government Accountability, Board Member, 2019 – Present
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Columbia Business School Executive Education, Certificate in Corporate Governance, December 2023
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Leadership Development Program, 2022-2023
Ethics and Compliance Initiative, Leadership Professional in Ethics and Compliance (LPEC), 2021 – Present
Partnership for Public Service, Senior Fellow, Excellence in Government, 2015 – Present
EDUCATION
Howard University School of Law, Juris Doctor, May 2006
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, May 2003
 Executive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
Felice C. Smith
Ms. Felice C. Smith brings nearly two decades of public sector legal
experience to her current role of Vice President and Secretary of the
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board of Directors. She is a
current member of the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability.
For the past five years, Ms. Smith has served in various roles including
Associate General Counsel and Ethics Officer for the Airports Authority,
overseeing ethics and compliance programs for Washington, D.C.’s
commercial airports, the Dulles Toll Road, and the corporate organization. In
this role, Ms. Smith supported the Board of Directors and more than 1,500
employees, including overseeing Freedom of Information Act requests, providing guidance on
issues related to ethics policies, and overseeing policies issued by the airports.
Prior to her role at the Airports Authority, Ms. Smith held the position of Deputy Chief Ethics
Officer for the Export-Import Bank of the United States, where she was recognized for her
exceptional leadership by successfully completing the Excellence in Government Fellows Program
administered by the Partnership for Public Service.
Her commitment to public service throughout her career has included roles within the federal
government, including serving as an Assistant General Counsel at the Library of Congress and as
a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for
the District of Columbia. She currently serves as Secretary of the Capitol Hill Day School Board
of Trustees.
A Ward 5 resident, Ms. Smith earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Juris Doctor from Howard University.
 GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
To: Tomas Talamante, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: May 13, 2024
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of Resolutions nominating Felice Smith and Darrin
Sobin as members of the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced resolutions and
found them to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
hesitate to call Erika Satterlee, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202-
724-1303, or me at 202-724-7681.
______________________________
Elizabeth A. (Betsy) Cavendish
______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681