Elizabeth A. Smith (Libby) is currently the Associate Director for the Department of Program Services, of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. Libby is also co-chair to the Case Management Modernization Board, which provides guidance related to the AO’s effort to modernize and enhance case management throughout the judiciary. Before her appointment as Associate Director in September 2021, Libby served as the Circuit Executive for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for more than four years. Prior to serving as Circuit Executive, Libby was the Clerk of Court for the United States District Court for the District of Idaho, where she managed a consolidated clerk’s office that provided administrative services to both the district and bankruptcy courts for the District of Idaho. Libby assumed the post in 2009, bringing about innovative changes that improved court efficiency and cut costs. Her contributions were recognized in 2016, when she was awarded the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts’ Director’s Award for Outstanding Leadership, the highest honor awarded to judicial branch employees.

Prior to coming to the District of Idaho, Libby held administrative posts in both federal and state courts in her native state of Michigan. Libby served as the chief deputy clerk for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan from 2006 to 2009 and was the deputy court administrator and a divisional manager for the Michigan Sixth Judicial Circuit Court from 1999 to 2006. Over the course of her career, Libby has also served as a judicial assistant, jury administrator, and program analyst. Libby has also served on several state and national task forces, advisory groups and councils, working groups, and committees, including the IT Advisory Councils, District Clerks Advisory Group, and the Judiciary Data Working Group. Libby earned an M.S. in business information technology and a B.S. in business administration.