Hal Smith was born on September 11, 1926, in Whittier, California. He grew up amongst the sand dunes of Balboa Island in Southern California. Hal attended Pomona College, though his studies were brought to a pause by World War II. After the war in the Pacific theater came to a close, Hal returned to college and completed his degree in psychology. After college, he followed his passions in electrical engineer to pursue a successful career. Upon retiring, Hal connected with the Center for Citizen Peacebuilding (CCPB) at UC Irvine. Across two decades, he helped to spread the Center's educational message and promote its lifechanging initiatives at home and abroad. Hal often hosted students and guest speakers, and he travelled to Palestine/Israel and to Turkey and Armenia on experiential learning initiatives sponsored by the Center. Hal passed away peacefully on January 26, 2025, at the age of 98. The CCPB bi-annual speaker-series is named in his honor, as a tribute to the inspiration that he continues to be to all of us.