Caroline Smith

Caroline Tanbee Smith is an experienced, committed local leader with a track record of taking action to address city challenges in New Haven. And now, she is running for Alder of Ward 9 to be an advocate for her neighbors in the Fair Haven and East Rock neighborhoods — as well as bring people together around the challenges residents face citywide.

In the last 13 years as a resident, she co-founded Collab — a recognized nonprofit that reduces barriers for New Haven residents to start a business with a specific focus on supporting women, people with lower-incomes, people of color, and immigrants. For years, Collab has supported hundreds of entrepreneurs annually in neighborhoods across the city. She also started New Haven Bike Month that has brought neighbors together to advocate for safe streets and sidewalks for all, as well as co-founded aapiNHV that provides resources for the growing local Asian community in New Haven. As Alder, Caroline would bring experience and voice to issues around economic opportunity for all, safe streets and quality of life for residents, climate justice and the green economy, and protections for New Haven’s LGBTQ+ community.