Smith-Maynard has over 19 years of experience in corrections, serving with the Pennsylvania and West Virginia DOCs before joining the Kentucky Department of Corrections in 2008. Beginning as a correctional officer at BCC, she was later promoted to administrative specialist II, human resources administrator and procedures development specialist II. She served as the ACA accreditation manager participating in three re-accreditation audits for Blackburn. In addition to acting as the grievance and litigation coordinator at BCC, she served as the institution's public information officer. In 2021, she was promoted to a reentry employment program administrator in the Division of Reentry Services, covering Districts 9, 14 and 6. In 2022, she returned to Blackburn as the administrative captain over security.

Smith-Maynard is a member of the Kentucky Council on Crime and Delinquency (KCCD) and Southern States Correctional Association (SSCA). She is the recipient of the 2018 DOC Achievement Award for BCC and a graduate of the 2022 Commissioner's Executive Leadership Program.​