Kari Smith

Kari Smith is a digital archivist and consultant specializing in digital object lifecycles and information management for cultural and archival materials. With over 20 years’ experience, Kari has worked extensively with electronic records, digital archives, and digitized cultural heritage across universities and cultural organizations in the United States and beyond. Kari previously served as MIT’s inaugural Digital Archivist and later as Institute Archivist. Active in community-driven initiatives such as ArchivesSpace and the BitCurator Community, Kari regularly teaches, presents, and serves on professional program committees. Kari co-teaches and co-presents established digital preservation courses, including the Digital Preservation Management Workshop series, and seminars and coaches organizations developing digital archives and curation workflows. In 2022, Kari founded Global Archivist LLC, providing consulting and coaching services while continuing community-based archival work. Since 2012 she has taught workshops with the SAA DAS program including Digital Archives and Digital Libraries, Digital Curation, and Introduction to PREMIS.