Dori Smith
Most of you may know her as the past President of the local chapter. Dori was born in California, but grew up in Virginia. She lived in North Carolina 17 years and Connecticut 12 years before moving back to California. She and husband Rupert have been here about 3.5 years. She has two children and two step-children—all grown.

Dori’s formal education earned her a bachelor's degree in journalism from the Univ. of N.C. Chapel Hill. Her career involved working for GTE (now Verizon) for a total of 12 years in three locations -- North Carolina, Indianapolis and Connecticut. Her last corporate job was as vice president-corporate communications for MasterCard International in Purchase, N.Y.

She and Rupert now run a PR/communications firm called WordSmiths Communication with various clients including a social services agency, an arts foundation, a performing arts group, a school district, among others.

Dori’s many hobbies include her love for golf, travel, rollerblading, horseback riding and tennis. On her wish list, she would like to take tap dancing and drawing lessons, plus other things, especially traveling to many new places. Among her world travels, she went to Thailand on a 10-day trip to play golf in 2001 thanks to EWGA and her work for a golfing publication.

Dori first joined EWGA in Connecticut’s Fairfield County chapter and served on the board there. When she moved to Palm Desert, Diane Dunn, EWGA staff person in charge of new chapter development then, called her in 2001 and asked me to help get the chapter here started. Now, it's over 135 members strong!

Dori said: "I’m involved because I really believe in this organization. When I moved here, it was important to me to meet women and have women friends. Now, because of EWGA, I have lots of friends here and golfing buddies, so this works for me! On the business side of the EWGA, I have met women I have been able to connect with in business, and as we all know, it’s important to do business with friends and have fun too! Thank you, EWGA!"

If you would like to contact Dori, please call her at 760/674-8461.