Nancy Smithey

Nancy Smithey

Assistant to the Director of Advancement
The Lawrenceville School
Award Winner

CASE 2019 Support Staff Distinguished Service Award: Nancy Smithey

Bio

Nancy Smithey has been tireless in her efforts to ensure that the alumni and development office at the Lawrenceville School puts its best foot forward with alumni, parents, trustees, and within the school community. Her high standards translate into high quality in everything Lawrenceville does, from communications with donors to the details that elevate their events. Sending flowers to the host of a regional reception? Smithey can advise you. Her knowledge of the institution and its partners makes her the go-to consultant on virtually every aspect of the school's affairs. She can direct virtually any request to the appropriate source, juggle multiple critical assignments, and suggest viable alternatives when necessary. 

Her long tenure and attention to detail have earned her the unofficial title of resident archivist for advancement. She is able to recall the details of past key events with ease and provides the school with an invaluable institutional memory. She functions as Emily Post, librarian, and staff accountant, keeping track of major gifts made—and their documentation—and significant expenditures, accessing years-old correspondence with a tap of her keyboard. 

Smithey's position puts her front and center with the trustees, and she frequently serves as the contact point for the office with members of the board, prominent alumni, and major donors and prospects. She enjoys a comfortable friendship with many of them, and she is a gracious representative for Lawrenceville with vendors and others outside the school. 

Known among her colleagues in alumni and development for her devotion to her job and the institution, she long ago earned her place in the Lawrenceville family.