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Judy A. Smith

2014 Speaker

Judy A. Smith is the founder and president of Smith & Company, a leading strategic and crisis communications firm with offices in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles.  Perhaps best known in media circles for her expertise as a crisis management advisor, Smith has served as a consultant for a host of high profile, celebrity and entertainment clients over the course of her career, including actors and numerous high profile sports clients, and also serves as a counselor to Fortune 500 corporations. Smith previously served as senior vice-president of corporate communications at NBC, and in 1991, joined the White House with her appointment as Special Assistant and Deputy Press Secretary to President George H. W. Bush. Smith has been featured in numerous national publications including: the Washington Post, National Journal, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, Fast Company and writes regularly on current events for the Huffington Post and the Daily Beast.  She is an experienced and sought after commentator as a crisis management expert, frequently appearing on major television networks such as CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, NBC, ABC, and CBS.  As a result of her wide ranging and ground breaking career, Shonda Rhimes developed a television drama about the world of crisis management inspired by Smith. The series entitled, “Scandal,” revolves around the life and work of a professional fixer. Smith serves as co- executive producer of the project and provides insight and technical expertise on crisis management issues. Smith is the author of the book, “Good Self, Bad Self,” and earned a B.S. in public relations from Boston University and graduated from the American University Washington College of Law, where she was the first African-American woman to serve as executive editor of the Law Review. @judysmith_