Julie Smith Receives Triangle Business Journal Women in Business Award

Julie Smith, NC State’s vice chancellor for External Affairs, Partnerships and Economic Development (EAPED), recently received the 2025 Women in Business Award from the Triangle Business Journal. The award recognizes women who have demonstrated dynamic leadership and outstanding achievements in both business and community service. Smith was honored at a ceremony on March 12, joining other top leaders from a variety of industries.

“NC State is proud that Julie’s impactful leadership is further recognized with this award,” said Chancellor Randy Woodson. “We applaud her dedication to advancing the university’s mission and her continued contributions to the Triangle and communities throughout North Carolina.”

Smith leads the division responsible for coordinating the university’s relations with local, state and federal government partners; supporting the creation of industry collaborations; and helping to spur economic development investments with significant impacts for the Triangle and beyond. Under her leadership, NC State has grown its contributions supporting the university’s core mission. In addition to successful advocacy efforts to secure state-appropriated funding – a vital resource that will have lasting impacts on NC State’s academic and research portfolio, along with the physical campus — examples of EAPED’s accomplishments include:

• $135 million in new research funding was secured from industry partners.
• More than 3,000 students were hired by companies located on Centennial Campus.
• Nearly 30,000 jobs were created statewide through NC State’s economic development partnerships.
• The Small Business Development and Technology Center’s (SBTDC) counseling services resulted in 1,585 small- and mid-sized businesses launched, 23,224 jobs created and $1.2 billion in new capital formation across North Carolina. 

When asked what drives her commitment to public service, Smith said: “I believe in higher education’s ability to change lives. My grandparents were among the first four-year graduates of UNC Pembroke. As Native Americans at a time when there were fewer opportunities available to them, having a university embedded within their community gave them, and so many others, a platform from which to launch successful careers and businesses. Because of their legacy, I’m a third-generation college graduate passionate about doing all I can to help others have the same opportunities to achieve their dreams.”

Before being named vice chancellor in February 2024, Smith served as NC State’s associate vice chancellor of EAPED, where she oversaw and managed the division’s operational and financial activities, in addition to serving as the university’s liaison to state and local government agencies and elected officials.

Prior to working at NC State, Smith led and managed external affairs at UNC Pembroke, serving as the liaison for state and federal relations while working to strengthen external partnerships for the university and southeastern North Carolina. For example, she helped secure funding for UNC Pembroke to establish a College of Health Sciences to improve the health outcomes of citizens in surrounding communities and to address health profession shortages in the region. Earlier in her career, she served as associate general counsel with the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association.

Smith serves on several boards throughout the Triangle region, including the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Blue Ridge Corridor Alliance, and the Hillsborough Street Community Service Corp. A Park Scholar, she graduated summa cum laude from NC State with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in environmental science with the designation of valedictorian. She earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia. Smith is also a graduate of the UNC System’s Executive Leadership Institute, as well as Leadership Raleigh and Leadership North Carolina. 

In addition to Smith, who received the award in the Behind the Scenes category, Shelton Leadership Center Director Deborah Acker was honored in the Nonprofit Leadership category.