Paris Smith was born in Utah and raised throughout the U.S., spending multiple years in Wyoming, Colorado, and California. She has always loved the outdoors and spent her childhood hiking, birding, and identifying local flora. She became passionate about anthropology in high school and was able to take courses in anthropology at her local community college while finishing her high school diploma. She graduated with an A.A. in the Liberal Arts at Cuesta College and has continued her education at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa where she will obtain her B.A. in Anthropology with a specialization in archaeology.

Paris has a focused interest in Pacific and East Asian archaeology and hopes to pursue a PhD in archaeology and the social sciences. She has other interests in botany, ecology, and philosophy. Outside of her work at Keala Pono, she is participating in research with Dr. Seth Quintus at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and hopes to keep working in Hawaiian archaeology. She is passionate about protecting cultural resources and hopes her work at Keala Pono can benefit the local community.