Chad Smith holds a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Georgia; master's degree in public administration from the University of Wisconsin and a Juris Doctorate, Law, from the University of Tulsa.

Prior to his service as Principal Chief, Smith taught Indian law at Dartmouth College, Northeastern State University and Rogers State University, worked as a Cherokee Nation prosecutor and as an administrator of Cherokee Nation Tax Commission. Smith has also worked as a prosecutor in Creek County, a public defender in Tulsa County and operated his own law practice.