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Leona Smith

By Lynda Lohr

Leona Smith is one busy person. As St. John's administrator, an appointed post that's similar to a mayor, she works hard to bring together St. John's black, white and Hispanic communities.

"Things will go smoothly if everyone's involved. We're such a close-knit community that the private sector helps out," she says.

She's got a list of projects as long as her well-turned sleeves. For starters, she's brought together hoteliers, residents and the local government to work on beautifying St. John.

With that project under way, she's working to form committees to work on a sorely needed master plan for the island, to deal with the island's growing traffic problem and to figure out where to put a much-needed parking garage.

When Smith's not at her office, she's busy planning the island's annual July 4th Celebration. This is the island's version of Carnival, and Smith heads up the St. John Festival and Cultural Committee, which organizes a month-long roster of events.

When she took over as administrator in 2007, her new office was only a short walk from her old one at the Licensing and Consumer Affairs Department. Both offices are located at the government complex known as the Battery, located on the northern edge of Cruz Bay Harbor.

Smith spent 16 years at Licensing, serving as point person on St. John for folks applying for and renewing business licenses.

Born 46 years ago on St. Thomas because St. John doesn't have a hospital, Smith, like many Virgin Islands youths, went off to the mainland for college. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from John Jay College in New York.

Although Smith clearly enjoys St. John, she's quick to travel when she has the time. "I love Europe," she says.