Cody Smith

Cody Smith is an environmental leader, policy expert, and proud trailblazer—on track to become the only openly gay man serving in the Iowa House Democratic Caucus. Growing up in a working-class family, he understands the realities of living paycheck to paycheck. A first-generation college graduate, Cody earned his degree from Iowa State University in agricultural communications and political science, where he made history as the first openly gay student body vice president. Cody began his public service career while still in school, working with the Iowa Water Quality Initiative. He has since built a wide-ranging career in environmental policy, advancing clean water, climate resilience, and public health across the Midwest and abroad. His work has taken him from the Iowa Capitol to communities in Brazil, Panama, and the Cayman Islands, always with a focus on delivering practical, people-centered solutions. Cody also earned a Master of Public Affairs in natural resources and climate policy from Indiana University. He currently serves as director of a climate resilience program at a statewide environmental nonprofit in Des Moines. No matter the role, Cody’s mission remains constant: to help build communities that are healthier, fairer, and better prepared for a rapidly changing future.