John E. Smith III (Jay) is a trained public historian, researcher, and archivist. In 2016, he earned his bachelor’s degree in history and political science from West Chester University before heading to North Broad Street where he received a master’s degree from Temple University’s Center for Public History. But besides these scholarly accomplishments, Jay is an enthusiastic history communicator who prides himself on making historical knowledge engaging and accessible. He’s been described as the Steve Kornacki of local history. Kornacki—of course—being the energetic data nerd who entertains MSNBC audiences every election day with his exuberant analysis of live election results. Jay considers himself a mediator between academic and local history—bridging professional scholarship with local historical curiosity. Jay showcased his commitment to accessible historical knowledge during his tenure as archivist with the Chester County Archives. Between 2018-2023, Jay introduced staff to alternative methods for public outreach and community engagement including interactive GIS story mapping, engaging writing pieces, video editing, and educational programming. He recently made a career change to pursue other interests, but Jay intends on continuing his commitment to public research, discovery, and community engagement as an independent researcher.