JMer Shares What Pride Month Means to Her

Aubree Smith is a Senior Account Manager for Building Insulation (BI) in Johns Manville’s Insulation Systems (IS) business and works at the JM headquarters in Denver.

“I handle all pricing for national commercial BI accounts,” said Aubree, who has worked at JM for almost six years. “I started in Roofing Systems customer service. Then I worked in BI customer service before getting my current role.”

We recently talked with Aubree to hear what Pride Month, which runs through June 30, means to her. Here’s what she had to say.

Q: Tell us about yourself.

A: I came out when I was 23. I have been fortunate because I have had a really supportive environment. JM as a company has been really great and supportive. I’ve been with my partner, Rose, for three years. We’re building a house together. Outside of work, I love traveling. Last year wasn’t super fun due to not being able to travel. But I’m also a huge horror movie fan, so I kept entertained with movies. John Carpenter’s “Halloween” from 1978 is my all-time favorite.

Q: We heard a rumor that your dad is Joe Smith, President of Roofing Systems at JM. Is that true? 

A: Yes. Now you understand why I left Roofing Systems. Kidding … sort of. Now that I work in IS, we don’t usually interact much at work.Q: What does Pride mean to you? A: For so long people stayed in the closet. Pride is about owning our power and saying, “This is who we are. We deserve respect.” Pride is about living out loud and proud. 

Q: How do you plan to celebrate Pride this year? 

A: Normally we always go to the Pride Parade in Denver. Last year, it was canceled due to the pandemic. This year, it’s back so we’ll be returning to the Denver Pride Festival and then we’ll probably go out to a bar with friends. I’ve always wanted to go to New York for Stonewall. Hopefully I can make that happen in the future. 

Q: How do you think people can be better allies to the LGBTQIA+ community? 

A: I think the biggest way to be a better ally is to not assume that someone is heterosexual or straight. I always use the word “partner” when I refer to my girlfriend and, many times, I get asked, “What does he do for a living?” I would encourage people to ask someone if they have a partner and allow them to share. I’m also a big supporter of using correct pronouns when referring to people. It’s always courteous to ask rather than assume. 

During the month of June, JM recognizes Pride Month and celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community in the U.S. and throughout our company.