Patti Smith

Ann Arbor townie Patti Smith is a former legal aid lawyer and current special education teacher in Ypsilanti. She earned a Bachelor's Degree from Adrian College with highest honors in 1994, a Doctor of Law from University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Law in 1996, and a Master's Degree with Highest Honors from Eastern Michigan University in 2012.

She is the author of two books: Images of America--Downtown Ann Arbor and A History of the People's Food Co-op Ann Arbor. Two books will be released in 2019, HEAD OVER FEET and FORGOTTEN ANN ARBOR.

She also writes or has written for CraftBeer.com, We Love Ann Arbor, Damn Arbor, Concentrate, Mittenbrew, The Ann, AADL's Pulp blog, and the Ann Arbor Observer. Patti serves as a commissioner for the Public Art Commission and the Recreation Advisory Commission, as a volunteer DJ on WCBN, as a storyteller in the Ann Arbor Storytellers' Guild, and volunteers for the Ann Arbor Film Festival.

She is a frequent public speaker around town, speaking three times at Ignite, Nerd Nite, Telling Tales Out of School and at Tellabration.

Patti created and curates HERsay, an all women spoken word event that benefits local nonprofits (and sells out every time) and GROWN FOLKS READING, story time for adults (and yes, the one where Patti wears a onesie!)

She lives with her husband, Ken Anderson, and dog Pugsley in the Village--truly vintage living in her favorite city on earth.