Esmé O’Brien Smith (she/her) is the Special Assistant to the Executive Office at PEN America. Originally from Washington, D.C., she holds a BA from Wesleyan University in French Studies and in the College of Letters – an interdisciplinary major focused on European literature, history, and philosophy. She also earned a minor in Human Rights Advocacy.
Prior to this role, she interned at Kasmin Gallery and gained extensive administrative experience during her three years with Wesleyan University’s Department of Romance Languages and Literatures. A former PEN America Intern, she worked alongside the Literary Programs Team in the planning and facilitation of Poets Across Lines, PEN’s inaugural cross-regional poetry workshop.
During her time at Wesleyan, Smith developed her thesis on Surrealist poetry and automatic writing. Her interests in journalism and human rights advocacy have led her to report on issues ranging from the infringement of Indigenous land rights in Patagonia, Argentina, to the allocation of National Opioid Settlement Funds in Middletown, Connecticut.