Extreme Heat Public Servants Panel & Exhibit Closing Reception

Join us for the final program and chance to see Extreme Heat, featuring the work of Rowan Bathurst, Kei Ito and Rachel Stein.

We are delighted to have two panelists and public servants from the city whose work involves directly combating the challenge of extreme heat. Erica Pinket and Michelle "Shelly" Smith will share their own professional efforts and experience dealing with extreme heat in Baltimore City.

Erica Pinket, Climate and Resilience Planner

Erica Pinket, MPS-EDM has been with the Baltimore City Office of Sustainability (BOS) since 2024. In her current role as the Climate and Resiliency Planner, she serves the Baltimore City community by co-leading the city’s interagency Extreme Heat portfolio, coordinating the community resiliency hub program, and executing the Disaster Preparedness and Planning Project (DP3). Prior to her work with BOS, Erica served as a Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI) Fellow of the Washington, D.C. cohort and a Consultant for Tetra Tech from 2021-2023. From her 10-year emergency management career of national consultancy, clean energy leadership, U.S. Department of State risk communication, and as a published academic in preparedness, response, mitigation, and resilience, Erica gained transferrable skills in Federal emergency response protocols, the Whole Community Approach, and environmentally just planning gap solutions which she leverages when conducting her work within BOS. In addition, Erica graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2015 earning a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a dedicated focus on Foreign Policy. In 2020, she graduated from Georgetown University with a master’s degree in Emergency Management. Erica is committed to uplifting the local community because this city has given so much to the world and it is an honor and privilege to do my part in keeping a great and historical city thriving for generations to come.

Michelle “Shelly” Smith , Preparedness Section Chief, Baltimore City Fire Department, Office of Emergency Management.

Michelle “Shelly” Smith holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Family Studies in Human Development from Central Michigan University. With over 12 years’ experience in the non-profit sector, she has worked as a direct support professional, case manager, and residential program director. She has supported individuals from socially vulnerable communities including those with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities, individuals experiencing homelessness, those diagnosed with severe mental health illnesses, survivors of domestic abuse, veterans, individuals with substance use disorders and those living with HIV and AIDs.

Currently, Shelly works for the Baltimore City Fire Department in the Office of Emergency Management as the Preparedness Section Chief. In her role, Shelly conducts outreach to the citizens of Baltimore providing education and resources on emergency preparedness, as well as human service areas such as resource connection, emergency sheltering, and mass care. Together with the Department of Planning: Office of Sustainability and the Baltimore City Health Department Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, she co-facilitates the Sustainability & Resiliency Subcabinet Extreme Heat workgroup and the Baltimore City Resiliency Hub Program. She co-facilitates the Baltimore Metropolitan Council’s Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Whole Community subcommittee and serves as a member of the Baltimore City Mayor’s Coalition on Disabilities, Equity Committee, and the Opioid Intervention Team.