This ranks third-highest below Principal Companions and Distinguished Companions in New Zealand's honour system; and sees Smith recognised for her contribution to sports governance.

Having moved on from the NZOC in March, she has since taken up a position as transformational director for Cycling New Zealand and continues her role as vice-president of the Commonwealth Games Federation.

"I really am proud of the opportunity to serve New Zealand sport on the domestic and international stage and know that to carry New Zealand's voice, values and integrity is really important to me and something I’m really proud of," Smith told the Otago Daily Times.

Smith was previously the secretary to the Minister of Sport and general manager of the Hillary Commission, now known as Sport New Zealand.

She then spent 10 years as chief executive of the Academy of Sport South Island in Dunedin and became the first woman to hold the chief role at NZOC in 2011.

Smith was also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Sport and Active Society Commission, as well as the 2024 and 2028 Olympic Bid Evaluation Commissions.

Her development of women in sport is among her most notable achievements, establishing the Olympic Women's Leadership Academy in New Zealand and being a founding member of the International Working Group on women and sport.

Smith was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2015 and in the same year, the IOC awarded the NZOC the World Trophy for Women in Sport for its work on improving the number of women in sport - the first for a National Olympic Committee.

In 2022, the NZOC elected its first woman, Liz Dawson, as its President.