Judy A. Smith, founder and president of Smith & Company, a leading strategic and crisis communications firm in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, delivers the Library’s 2015 Black History Month Keynote Address.
Smith’s topic, Crisis 101: Surviving and Thriving in an Era of Perpetual Crisis and How It Relates to African-American History and Culture, is especially relevant.
WHEN: February 22 at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Central Library, St. Louis Public Library, 1301 Olive St.
COST: FREE and open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Members of the FRIENDS of the St. Louis Public Library should call 314.539.0359 for limited reserved seating.
Over the last 25 years, Smith has brought her unique combination of communication skills, media savvy, & legal and political acumen to clients facing a wide array of challenges. She honed her skills handling some of the most historic and sensational events of our time, including the Iran-Contra investigation; the 1991 Gulf War; the Los Angeles riots; the Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Justice Clarence Thomas; and the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
In 1991, Smith joined the White House with her appointment as Special Assistant and Deputy Press Secretary to President George H.W. Bush. During her tenure she provided the president and his cabinet with communication advice on foreign and domestic issues.
Inspired by Smith, Shonda Rhimes, creator of ABC’s hit television dramas Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice, developed a series about the world of crisis management. Scandal revolves around the life and work of a professional “fixer.” Smith serves as co-executive producer and provides technical expertise.
Smith is actively involved in public policy matters. She has worked with federal agencies and organizations on issues including the housing crisis, childhood obesity, education, and economic development.
Judy Smith earned her 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. She is the author of Good Self, Bad Self, published by Free Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.