Brian J. Smith is a father of two Burbank Unified School District students who has lived in Burbank for over 15 years. When he is not participating in school functions, Smith enjoys going to the movies with family and caring for his two cats, which has earned him the title of “World’s Best Cat Dad.” The John Burroughs High School fundraising VP and BUSD Board of Education hopeful discusses what brought his family to Burbank and his favorite parts of the city in his myBurbank candidate profile.
How long have you been a Burbank resident? What first brought you to the city?
I’ve lived in Burbank for 17 years. My wife, Cindi, and I have two students currently attending Burbank schools. The quality school system brought us to Burbank, along with home affordability and our proximity to work at the time.
What do you enjoy most about Burbank?
The people. We have met so many wonderful Burbankers over the years, mostly through the school system, PTA, etc. I also enjoy how easy it is to get around Burbank at almost any time of the day and especially on the weekends. I work in Santa Monica, and it is crazy trying to get around there and anywhere on the westside. It’s also so quiet here at night; I love that.
Where is your go-to place to have a good time in Burbank?
I love going to the movies when time allows. We typically hit the AMC next to Barnes & Noble or the 16. I also enjoy having a catch with my son and daughter at Olive Park.
Tell us a little bit about your background leading up to your candidacy.
I have been a PTA executive board member at a couple of school sites, and I am currently the VP of fundraising at Burroughs, a.k.a. football game concessionaire. I served for four years on the School Facility Oversight Committee, the citizen oversight committee for the Measure S bond fund projects and chaired that committee for three years. I work for a company called Activision Blizzard as the director of global workplace and oversee facilities management, operations, administration and design and construction for our sites on the West Coast.
What is a fun fact about yourself that you’d like to share?
I am the proud parent of two cats, Pico de Gato and MacLeod. As a matter of fact, I am the “World’s Best Cat Dad,” and I have the t-shirt to prove it.
Note: Some answers have been edited for clarity. All answers are provided by candidates and do not denote verification on behalf of myBurbank.
