MEET GAGE

Gage Schmid is a Sevier County native, small business owner, and political strategist, but first and foremost, he’s a neighbor who grew up here and cares deeply about our home in the Smokies. Raised on Easy Street and educated in the Pigeon Forge school system, Gage learned early the value of hard work, looking out for others, and giving back to the community that raised him.

That sense of responsibility was shaped by a childhood rooted in the Smokies. Gage spent much of his early years outdoors: catching crawdads in Waldens Creek, exploring the Sinks of Gatlinburg, playing football with the Pigeon Forge Tigers, scouting in Wears Valley, and hunting alongside his dad and friends across the South. He also spent countless hours on job sites with his father, learning the ins and outs of the family construction business that has served Sevier County for more than 30 years. His family placed a strong emphasis on public education and community service, contributing time and labor to local schools like Pigeon Forge Primary and Pigeon Forge Middle School.

As he grew older, that connection to place and people translated into leadership. At Pigeon Forge High School, Gage was deeply involved in student life and civic service. He was a member of the National Honor Society, served as President of the Beta Club, and ran for Tennessee State Beta Club President—addressing nearly 4,000 students from across the state. He competed in DECA, winning the statewide Business Ethics competition and advancing to the international level, and was one of two students selected from his school to attend Tennessee Boys State, where he learned firsthand how local government works. Gage also served as Senior Class President and Vice President of Community Service for TeenBoard, while participating in numerous other student organizations. Throughout all four years of high school, he volunteered at LeConte Senior Health and Rehabilitation Center, building relationships with senior residents and learning the importance of compassion, service, and simply showing up.

Outside the classroom, Gage continued to spend his time much the way he always had: immersed in the outdoors and community life. Summers were spent attending Smoky Mountain Young Life camps, camping at Elkmont, and paddle boarding or tubing on Douglas Lake. In the winter months, he could usually be found snowboarding at Ober Gatlinburg, Beech Mountain, or Sugar Mountain. Those experiences reinforced a lifelong appreciation for the land, the people, and the rhythms of life in Sevier County.

After graduating from high school, Gage left home to attend Boston University, where he studied public policy and international affairs and gained experience working across the country and abroad. During college, he worked as a public policy intern with Purple Strategies in Alexandria Virginia, conducted climate policy research with Climate Action Network Australia in the aftermath of devastating wildfires, and served as an urban development policy advisor to the Select Board in Lexington, Massachusetts—helping evaluate the long-term costs and benefits of electrifying the town’s housing network.

While at Boston University, Gage remained deeply engaged in leadership and public service. He was a member of the International Business and Foreign Service fraternity, Delta Phi Epsilon, and served as Director of Digital Content for the Boston University International Relations Review, where he modernized the publication’s online presence and expanded its reach. Mentored by public servants from a wide range of backgrounds, including former diplomats and cabinet officials, Gage came away with a clear lesson: effective leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about listening, planning ahead, and making thoughtful decisions grounded in real-world experience and local values.

After earning degrees in Political Science and Marketing, Gage returned his focus to the kind of work that first inspired him—helping everyday people step up and lead. He worked on local, statewide, and federal campaigns across the Eastern United States, where he saw how often working families and community leaders are shut out of politics. Determined to change that, he founded Forge + Field Strategies, a small business built to help local candidates run competitive campaigns that reflect Southern and Appalachian realities. Through Forge + Field, Gage has helped everyday folks step forward, win tough races, and fight for futures rooted in local values.

Even with work that takes him beyond Sevier County, Gage still spends his free time much the same way he always has—on the trails in the Smokies, hiking and snowboarding whenever he can. He enjoys reading, working with his hands, and slowing down enough to notice the small things that make this place special: the sound of toads after a summer rain, or the way the sun sets between the ridgelines in the valley. No matter where his work has taken him, the Smokies have always been home.

That lifelong connection to this the Smokies is what ultimately led Gage to run for Sevier County Commission, District 2, Seat B. He’s committed to putting locals first and bringing county government back to the basics: public schools that give kids real opportunities, good local jobs, and thoughtful planning that keeps Sevier County livable for working families. Just as important, he believes in caring for the mountains and water that quietly give us so much we take for granted—from clean air and drinking water to a strong local economy and the culture that defines who we are.

Good Leadership means listening carefully, planning responsibly, and putting the long-term interests of our community first.