About Steph — Vote Steph Smyth

Newport Is Home

My family's history in Newport stretches back generations.

My grandfather, Paul Martellino, and his brother Edmond owned Paul and Eddie’s Bar and Grille on Broadway from the 1940s through the 1970s.

My father, Harry Smyth, has worked at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center since 1982. My mother, Diane Martellino Smyth, is a retired Newport School Department para-educator and parent advocate. My brothers Douglas and Eric own Smyth Painting, Cabinet Revival, and Castle Keep Property Management. Jon, who was a personal trainer at the Newport Athletic Club and later at Bridge to Fitness, is a Special Olympics coach. Greg participates in Looking Upwards’ day program for adults.

I attended Newport Public Schools before working as a paraeducator in our schools. I spent more than twenty years working in Newport's hospitality industry, giving me firsthand experience with one of our city's most important economic drivers while also understanding the challenges tourism can create for residents.

These experiences shaped my belief that Newport can support a vibrant economy while protecting the neighborhoods and quality of life that make our city such a special place to live.

Delivering Results

In my first term as your City Councilor, I have worked to:

*Increase transparency and financial accountability within City government.

*Advocate for earlier, more understandable city budgets.

*Improve communication between residents and City Hall.

*Support responsible housing solutions that help residents remain in Newport.

*Protect Newport's trees, parks, and open spaces.

*Advance long-term environmental planning and sustainability initiatives.

*Advocate for the preservation of Newport Hospital's Birthing Center.

*Support the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center and the North End Food Pantry.

*Improve accessibility throughout our community.

*Strengthen Council professionalism, ethics, and parliamentary procedures.

*Promote thoughtful planning that balances a strong tourism economy with the quality of life of Newport residents.

There is always more work to do, but I believe progress comes from asking difficult questions, listening to residents, studying the facts, and working collaboratively to find practical solutions.

Leadership You Can Count On

Leadership isn't about making the most noise.

It's about listening.

It's about asking the tough questions.

It's about doing the homework.

It's about making decisions based on facts, treating everyone with respect, and always remembering who you work for.

I am honored to serve as your Newport City Councilor At-Large, and I respectfully ask for your support so we can continue building a stronger, more transparent, and more livable Newport—together.

Meet Steph Smyth

Working for Newport. Putting Residents First.

I love Newport.

It’s where I was born, where I was raised, where my family has lived for generations, and where I chose to build my life and career. Every decision I make as your City Councilor begins with one simple question:

“Is this what’s best for the people who call Newport home?”

Since being elected to the Newport City Council in 2024, I have worked to bring transparency, accountability, professionalism, and long-term planning back to City Hall. I believe residents deserve a government that listens, communicates openly, spends taxpayer dollars responsibly, and always puts the interests of Newport residents first.

Experience That Matters

For more than two decades, I've built a career solving problems, managing complex projects, negotiating contracts, improving organizations, and ensuring accountability.

Today, I serve as a Contracting Officer Representative and Workforce Resolution Facilitator at the Naval War College. Prior to that, I served for nearly twenty years as a Contracting Officer and Negotiator at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, where I managed millions of dollars in federal contracts and worked to ensure responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources.

I also hold a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and am a Lean Six Sigma Continuous Process Improvement Facilitator. My education and professional experience have taught me to analyze problems carefully, bring people together, improve processes, and make informed decisions based on facts—not politics.

Those are the same skills I bring to every Council meeting.

The Future of Newport

As we look toward the future, Newport faces important decisions about housing, infrastructure, economic development, environmental resilience, public safety, and affordability.

If re-elected, I will continue working to:

Build a transparent, understandable city budget.
Protect Newport's neighborhoods and historic character.
Develop practical housing policies that make better use of Newport's existing housing stock and increase workforce and middle-income housing opportunities.
Strengthen environmental planning and climate resilience.
Improve infrastructure and accessibility.
Support strong schools and essential community services.
Ensure tourism works for residents—not the other way around.
Make City government more responsive, transparent, and accountable.