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 holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology and Family Studies in Human Development from Central Michigan University. With 15 years’ non-profit sector experience, she has worked as a direct caregiver, 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, severe mental health illnesses, survivors of intimate partner violence, veterans, individuals with substance use disorders and those living with HIV and AIDs.

In her most recent role, she works for the Baltimore City Fire Department’s Office of Emergency Management as the Preparedness Section Chief. In her role she provides education and resources on emergency preparedness to the citizens of Baltimore. Michelle serves as a member of the Mayor’s Sustainability and Resiliency Sub-Cabinet Heat Mitigation Workgroup, Mayor’s Coalition on Disabilities, Mayors Equity Committee, the Overdose Prevention Team, and the Baltimore Metropolitan Council’s Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Evacuation and Whole Community subcommittees.