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Judy Smith
Judy Smith
Judy Smith
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Judy A. Smith (born October 27, 1958) is an American crisis manager, lawyer, author, and television producer. She is known as the founder, president, and CEO of the crisis management firm Smith & Company. Her work in crisis management is the inspiration for the ABC television series Scandal.[1][2]

Key Information

Early life and education

[edit]

Smith was born on October 27, 1958, in Washington, D.C. She attended St. Francis de Sales Elementary School and the Academy of Notre Dame.[1] Following high school, she attended Boston University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in public relations. She later enrolled at American University and graduated with a J.D. degree from the American University Washington College of Law. She was the first African-American woman to serve as executive editor of the American University Law review.[3] In May 2013, Smith delivered the commencement address to the Boston University College of Communication Class of 2013, alongside the commencement student speaker, Cody Brotter.[4] On July 10, 2016, Smith became an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.[citation needed] She is married to Bill Boulware.[1]

Career

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Public service

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Smith began working in public service in 1983, when she was employed as assistant editor for the Nurses Association of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Washington, D.C. After her graduation from American University in 1987, she became Deputy Director of Public Information and Associate Counsel in the Office of the Independent Counsel. In 1989, she was appointed Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, serving as principal adviser to the U.S. Attorney on media relations and chief spokeswoman.[5]

Starting March 7, 1991, Smith served as Special Assistant and Deputy Press Secretary to President George H. W. Bush.[5] While there, she earned a reputation for being straightforward, honest and hard working.[1] She was reportedly instrumental in guiding the Bush administration through the controversies surrounding the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court.[2]

Crisis management

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After leaving the White House staff, Smith started Smith & Company, a consulting firm specializing in crisis management and media relations. Her firm has advised clients that include Monica Lewinsky, actor Wesley Snipes,[6] NFL quarterback Michael Vick[1][2] and Sony Pictures Entertainment after their 2014 cyber attack.[7]

Television

[edit]

After her work for President Bush, Smith worked for NBC as vice president of communications, where she was responsible for news, sports and entertainment shows.[2] In 2009, Smith was introduced to Shonda Rhimes, creator of the TV series Grey's Anatomy, and her partner Betsy Beers, a co-executive producer. That meeting was scheduled for less than half an hour but went on for more than three, resulting in the development of the political thriller television series Scandal, which is inspired by Smith's professional background in public relations and crisis management work in Washington D.C.[1][2] As of 2012, Smith serves as co-executive producer and technical advisor for the show.[3]

Author

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Smith writes blogs for the Huffington Post and ABC television. Her blog, titled Ask Judy, is a feature of the Huffington Post, where she is listed among the Black Voices.[8] In tandem with her role at ABC, she writes a blog titled What Would Judy Do? for each episode of the television series Scandal.[9]

Smith's first book, Good Self, Bad Self, was released on April 3, 2012, to generally good reviews. Kirkus Reviews summarized a review by stating, "Smith provides a good overview of how to identify and curtail egregious behavior, with just enough celebrity misbehavior to hold the reader's attention."[10] Publishers Weekly was less enthusiastic, concluding that her "approach feels unwieldy and better suited to accompany her services as a crisis manager than as a do-it-yourself program".[11]

Published works

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  • Smith, Judy (2012). Good Self, Bad Self: Transforming Your Worst Qualities into Your Biggest Assets, Free Press, 288 pages. ISBN 978-1451649994
  • Smith, Judy (2013). Good Self, Bad Self: How to Bounce Back from a Personal Crisis, Free Press, 272 pages. ISBN 978-1451650006

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Judy Smith

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Judy A. Smith (born October 27, 1958) is an American attorney and specialist who founded Smith & Company, a strategic advisory firm focused on and . Smith began her career in public affairs before serving as a federal prosecutor and later as deputy in the under President , where in 1991 she became the first African American woman to lead a presidential press briefing. In 1993, she established her firm, which has advised companies, political figures, and celebrities through high-stakes controversies, including clients such as Amazon, , , and . Her approach emphasizes rapid response, strategic messaging, and reputation recovery, earning her recognition as one of the foremost experts in managing public scandals. Beyond consulting, Smith has authored books on , contributed to television production, and served as the real-life inspiration for , the lead character in the ABC series Scandal, highlighting her influence in blending legal acumen with media strategy.

Early Life and Education

Early Life

Judy Smith was born on October 27, 1958, in . She grew up in Northeast Washington, D.C., as one of five children in a working-class family. Her mother worked as a secretary by day and a cleaner by night, while her father drove trucks and taxis. Smith's parents emphasized core values, teaching their children to treat everyone with equal decency and respect irrespective of social status. From an early age, Smith displayed a natural inclination toward , intervening in disputes such as games in neighborhood alleyways as young as age seven and mediating between quarreling local couples. These experiences highlighted an innate problem-solving ability that she later attributed to her personal disposition.

Education and Early Academic Achievements

Smith earned a degree in from . She pursued legal education at the American University Washington College of Law, graduating with a degree. During her time there, Smith achieved distinction as the first African-American woman to serve as Executive Articles Editor of the university's , a role that involved overseeing the selection and editing of scholarly articles for publication.

Professional Career

Public Service in Government

Smith began her federal prosecutorial career as an in of Columbia, where she handled legal matters and served as to the U.S. Attorney, providing principal advice on and public communications. In this role, she addressed complex cases involving public scrutiny, building expertise in managing high-stakes legal and reputational challenges within the Department of Justice. On March 7, 1991, President appointed Smith as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy in the . She served through the end of the administration in January 1993, managing press operations amid domestic issues such as the riots and international events including the aftermath. In June 1991, Smith became the first African American woman to lead a press briefing, delivering the administration's position on key policy matters directly to the media. Her responsibilities included coordinating responses to crises and shaping public messaging, which honed her approach to rapid, fact-based communication under pressure.

Founding and Leadership of Smith & Company


Following her tenure as deputy press secretary in the George H.W. Bush administration, during which she became the first African American woman to brief the White House press corps in 1991, Judy Smith founded Smith & Company in 1993. The firm originated as a strategic advisory practice focused on crisis management, reputation protection, and communications strategy, drawing on Smith's government and legal experience to serve corporate and political clients. Smith serves as founder, president, and CEO of Smith & Company, directing its operations and client engagements. Under her leadership, the firm has expanded to offices in Washington, D.C., , New York, and , establishing itself as a premier crisis advisory service. For over 25 years, Smith has guided the company in counseling Fortune 50 CEOs, world leaders, and high-profile individuals through complex challenges, building it into a multi-million-dollar enterprise recognized for handling events such as the Iran-Contra affair and the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal.

Crisis Management Practice and Notable Cases

Judy Smith's practice, through her firm Smith & Company founded in 1990, emphasizes strategic communications to mitigate , focusing on authenticity, sincere apologies, and proactive narrative control in an era of rapid media dissemination. Her approach involves assessing client vulnerabilities, mapping adversaries, and aligning actions with public statements to foster redemption and rebuild trust. Among her notable cases, Smith represented following the public revelation of her affair with President in 1998, assisting in navigating intense media scrutiny during the subsequent proceedings. She also managed the public response for NFL player after his 2007 federal conviction for operating an illegal dogfighting ring, contributing to his eventual career rehabilitation and return to professional football. In the corporate sector, Smith & Company advised BP executives following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which caused extensive environmental damage in the Gulf of Mexico. Earlier, her firm handled crisis communications for oil company executives in the aftermath of the 1989 Exxon Valdez tanker spill. She has also represented other high-profile individuals, including during her contentious 2016 divorce from , safeguarding her professional endorsements and philanthropic image, and rapper A$AP Rocky amid his 2019 arrest and detention in Sweden on assault charges. Smith's work extends to political and corporate entities, such as providing counsel to companies including Wal-Mart, AIG, and United Healthcare during various challenges, underscoring her broad application of crisis strategies across sectors.

Involvement in Media and Entertainment

Judy Smith served as the real-life inspiration for , the crisis management expert portrayed by in the ABC television series , which premiered on April 5, 2012, and ran for seven seasons until April 19, 2018. The series drew from Smith's professional experiences handling high-profile political and celebrity crises, though it incorporated fictional dramatic elements such as an affair with the president. Smith acted as a to creator , providing insights into real-world crisis strategies that informed plotlines and character decisions. In addition to consulting, Smith held a co-executive producer credit on Scandal, contributing to its production from the outset and helping shape its portrayal of , power dynamics. She extended her media involvement by writing a series titled "What Would Judy Do?" for ABC, offering episode-specific commentary on tactics depicted in the show. This platform allowed Smith to bridge her expertise with entertainment, analyzing fictional scenarios against actual practices. Beyond , Smith served as co-executive producer on the political satire , which aired from June 13 to September 12, 2016, where she again consulted on themes of political dysfunction and crisis response. In 2016, she collaborated with on developing , a legal pilot inspired by her career, though it did not proceed to series. Her production credits also include the reality series , starting in 2010, reflecting her advisory role in managing for entertainment figures. These ventures positioned Smith as a key figure translating into narrative content, influencing public perceptions of the field through serialized storytelling.

Authorship and Public Speaking

Smith authored Good Self, Bad Self: Transforming Your Worst Qualities into Your Biggest Assets, published on April 3, 2012, by Free Press. The 288-page book draws on her professional experience in crisis management to provide readers with practical strategies for addressing personal crises, reframing negative qualities as assets, and preventing future setbacks through self-awareness and proactive measures. As a sought-after keynote speaker, Smith delivers presentations on crisis management, leadership amid uncertainty, reputation protection, and women's empowerment, often tailored for corporate, legal, and academic audiences. Her engagements include , moderated discussions, and training sessions that emphasize , execution, and real-world to foster interaction and actionable insights. Notable examples encompass a address at the American Bar Association's Environmental and Workplace Safety Criminal in , on October 26, 2016, and a general session at the Government Officers Association's 119th Annual on June 29, 2025, focusing on lessons for finance leaders from high-profile crises. Smith has also addressed large groups remotely, such as a Women's History Month event reaching 1,100 employees via webcam. Her approach integrates wit, humility, and evidence-based tactics derived from decades of handling corporate and political scandals.

Achievements and Recognition

Awards and Professional Honors

Judy Smith has received multiple awards recognizing her leadership in , , and . These honors include the Hope Award from Calvary Women's Services in 2014, presented at their annual dinner for her contributions as founder and president of Smith & Company, a firm specializing in strategic advisory and crisis communications. In 2017, Smith was honored with a Matrix Award by New York Women in Communications for her work in and leadership, an accolade that highlights trailblazing , communications, and related fields. Additional professional recognitions listed in her professional biography encompass ADCOLOR's Catalyst Award for advancing diversity in advertising and media; AT&T's Humanity of Connection Award; the Christopher & Foundation's Life Hero Award; the ; the Girl Scouts of Greater New York Women of Distinction Award; the President's Award; PR News' Top Women in PR Award; Women in Cable Telecommunications' ; and Women United's 100 Most Influential Women. These awards reflect her impact across sectors including corporate advisory, entertainment, and nonprofit service, though specific conferral dates for most are not publicly detailed beyond her professional profiles.

Influence on Crisis Management Standards

Judy Smith's multidisciplinary approach to crisis management, which integrates legal expertise, political strategy, communications, and media relations, has shaped modern practices by emphasizing proactive, holistic responses over reactive damage control. Founded in 1993, her firm Smith & Company applied this method to high-stakes cases such as the Iran-Contra investigation and the 1998 Monica Lewinsky scandal, demonstrating how coordinated strategies across disciplines can mitigate reputational harm and restore stakeholder trust. This integration addressed gaps in siloed traditional PR, where legal teams often operated separately from communications, leading to inconsistent messaging; Smith's model prioritized unified narratives to align client actions with public perception from the outset. In her 2012 book Good Self, Bad Self: How to Bounce Back from Life's Blindside, Smith codified principles for personal and organizational resilience, advocating for early acknowledgment of errors to preserve —such as confessing mistakes promptly to maintain respect—and leveraging authenticity to rebuild narratives post-crisis. These tenets, drawn from cases like advising during his 2008 trial and corporate responses to the , influenced standards by promoting crises as opportunities for transformation rather than mere survival, encouraging clients to reframe vulnerabilities as assets through transparent accountability. Smith's advisory role in global events, including the 2003 SARS outbreak response and early communications for organizations, further embedded her emphasis on , transparency, and resilience into institutional protocols, as seen in subsequent Fortune 500 adoption of rapid-response frameworks that mirror her stress on ethical candor over evasion. Her consultations with entities like Amazon and during data privacy scandals exemplified this, setting precedents for preemptive that minimized escalation. By serving as a commentator on networks including and , Smith disseminated these practices, elevating them from ad-hoc fixes to formalized benchmarks in crisis training and .

Controversies and Criticisms

Ethical Debates in Client Representations

Judy Smith maintains strict personal ethical standards in selecting clients for representation, declining cases that conflict with her moral judgment, such as those involving Casey Anthony, convicted of murdering her two-year-old daughter in 2011, and Scott Peterson, convicted of killing his pregnant wife Laci Peterson in 2002. This selective practice underscores her approach to , where she prioritizes alignment with her own ethical framework over financial or reputational gain from high-profile scandals. Unlike the fictional character in the ABC series , which draws from Smith's career, she explicitly rejects misrepresenting facts or defending clients she believes are untruthful, stating that her work relies on verifiable truths rather than fabrication. Smith has described this as "wearing the white hat," a for upholding amid pressure to spin narratives, and she advises clients against denial, instead urging early admission of faults to rebuild trust. These principles address broader ethical tensions in crisis communications, where practitioners must weigh zealous against public transparency and , particularly when handling allegations of by powerful figures. Smith's insistence on not lying distinguishes her from peers accused of , though the profession as a whole faces for potentially enabling image rehabilitation over full reckoning with wrongdoing. Her method—focusing on client responsibility and factual disclosure—seeks to resolve such dilemmas by aligning representation with long-term reputational recovery rather than short-term evasion. Smith's involvement in Michael Vick's dogfighting scandal drew indirect attention due to the severity of the underlying allegations. Vick, the quarterback, was indicted in July 2007 on federal charges for financing and participating in an illegal dogfighting operation at his property, involving acts of cruelty including and drowning of underperforming dogs. Smith & Company assisted Vick in crafting his public response, emphasizing accountability through a guilty plea on August 27, 2007, followed by a 23-month sentence served from December 2007 to May 2009. Her strategies facilitated Vick's conditional reinstatement on July 27, 2009, and subsequent signing with the , enabling a career resurgence that included over 1,700 passing yards in 2010. While welfare organizations like the expressed ongoing concerns over the league's leniency toward such offenses, Vick's rehabilitation efforts, including anti-dogfighting advocacy, were credited with restoring his public standing without documented ethical rebukes directed at Smith's methods. In Bryant's 2003 sexual assault case, Smith's crisis management focused on damage control amid intense media scrutiny. Bryant, then a star, was accused by a 19-year-old hotel employee in , of on June 30, 2003; he faced charges filed on July 18, 2003, but maintained the was consensual. Smith helped prepare Bryant's public statement on July 25, 2003, in which he expressed regret for the incident's impact on others while denying criminal intent, leading to a civil settlement with the accuser in 2005 and criminal charges dropped on September 1, 2004, due to the witness's unavailability. Bryant's NBA career endured, culminating in five championships, though the episode prompted debates on celebrity accountability in allegations; Smith's role in preserving his endorsement deals and team position faced no verified professional censure, underscoring her emphasis on client remorse and legal navigation. Smith's advisory work for BP following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on April 20, 2010, occurred amid widespread condemnation of the company's initial response. The explosion killed 11 workers and released approximately 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over 87 days, causing extensive ecological damage estimated at $65 billion in total costs. Her firm contributed to post-spill communications, including efforts to coordinate remediation messaging after CEO Tony Hayward's criticized remarks, such as his May 31, 2010, comment wishing for his "life back." BP's overall PR was faulted for underestimating the spill's scale and appearing insensitive to affected communities, contributing to a 50% stock drop and $20.8 billion in settlements. However, Smith's targeted interventions aided in stabilizing executive communications, with no specific attributions of fault to her firm in analyses of the mishandled early phases.

Legacy and Impact

Contributions to Public Relations and Crisis Handling

Judy Smith founded Smith & Company in 1990, establishing it as a premier strategic advisory firm specializing in and communications, with offices in Washington, D.C., , and New York. The firm has provided counsel to a diverse array of high-profile clients, including Fortune 50 CEOs, celebrities, and political figures, applying a multidisciplinary approach that integrates legal acumen, political insight, media strategy, and communication expertise to mitigate reputational damage and restore stakeholder trust. This holistic methodology has positioned the firm as one of the top crisis consultancies globally, influencing industry standards by emphasizing proactive preparation and rapid response frameworks tailored to complex, high-stakes scenarios. Smith's innovations include the development of personalized plans under her "Handle It" initiative, which equips individuals and organizations with tools to identify vulnerabilities, navigate challenges, and prevent recurrence through and . In her 2012 book Good Self, Bad Self: How to Bounce Back from Life's Knock-Out Punches, she codified a core principle that an individual's strongest and weakest traits are interconnected, offering practical techniques to transform negative qualities into assets during crises, such as maintaining composure under pressure and leveraging authenticity for recovery. This framework, drawn from decades of handling events like the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal and corporate data breaches, promotes early acknowledgment of errors to preserve , a tactic she advocates as essential for sustaining respect amid scrutiny. Through extensive media commentary on networks including , MSNBC, and , Smith has disseminated best practices in crisis handling, demystifying the process for public audiences and professionals alike. Her role as co-executive producer on the ABC series , inspired by her career, further amplified these concepts, portraying realistic depictions of crisis resolution that educated viewers on and ethical navigation of scandals. These efforts have contributed to broader adoption of transparent, integrity-driven responses in , shifting the field toward emphasis on resilience and long-term reputation building over mere damage control.

Cultural and Broader Societal Influence

Judy Smith's career served as the direct inspiration for , the crisis management specialist portrayed by in the ABC television series , which aired from 2012 to 2018. As co-executive producer, Smith consulted on scripts to incorporate authentic elements from her professional methods, such as rapid assessment and strategic messaging in high-profile scandals. The series dramatized the inner workings of political fixers, exposing audiences to the mechanics of and thereby elevating public familiarity with crisis communications as a specialized field. Scandal's portrayal of a Black female lead in a position of power challenged prevailing norms in network television, with Smith crediting the show's success for demonstrating that millions of viewers would engage with such representation, influencing subsequent programming to prioritize diverse leads. It also innovated viewer interaction through live-tweeting episodes, a practice that shaped social media strategies for later hits like Game of Thrones. This cultural footprint extended Smith's visibility, associating her expertise with broader discussions on media influence and ethical navigation of scandals. In her 2012 book Good Self, Bad Self: How to Bounce Back from a Personal Crisis, Smith outlined a structured "POWER" framework—Plan, Observe, Weigh, Execute, Reflect—for individuals to address personal setbacks, adapting corporate crisis tools to everyday resilience. Reviews praised its practical integration of case studies from her career, though some noted the approach's complexity for non-professionals. The work broadened access to her strategies beyond elite clients, promoting in societal contexts marked by increasing personal and reputational vulnerabilities. Smith's annual keynote addresses at conferences, universities, and corporate events further disseminate these principles, focusing on proactive and crisis aversion to foster organizational and individual preparedness. Her board service with entities like and Global Citizen applies communications acumen to humanitarian advocacy, amplifying efforts in child welfare and global equity. Collectively, these endeavors have shaped perceptions of crisis handling as a democratized , influencing how society approaches adversity from personal to institutional scales.

References

  1. https://www.smithandcompany.com/about-judy-smith/
  2. https://www.forbes.com/profile/judy-smith/
  3. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/27/playbook-birthday-judy-smith-432580
  4. https://www.bushcenter.org/events-and-exhibits/a-conversation-with-judy-smith-the-inspiration-behind-scandal/
  5. https://judysmith.com/
  6. https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/judy-smith.html
  7. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-womanica-45926723/episode/bonus-judy-smith-231503302/
  8. https://wjla.com/news/entertainment/abc-s-scandal-based-on-real-life-crisis-handler-judy-smith-75576
  9. https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/culture/a35448861/judy-smith-interview/
  10. https://judysmith.com/about/
  11. https://www.bu.edu/articles/2012/when-the-mighty-fall-they-call-judy/
  12. https://speaking.com/speakers/judy-smith/
  13. https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/appointment-judy-smith-special-assistant-the-president-and-deputy-press-secretary
  14. https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/leadership-and-trustees/judy-smith
  15. https://www.yahoo.com/news/meet-the-first-black-woman-to-lead-a-white-house-press-briefing-100020809.html
  16. https://theyucatantimes.com/2021/01/meet-judy-smith-the-1st-black-woman-to-lead-a-white-house-press-briefing/
  17. https://www.washingtonian.com/2012/03/07/judy-smith-schooled-for-scandal/
  18. https://fortune.com/2014/11/26/judy-smith-scandal-crisis/
  19. https://www.politico.com/story/2012/04/smiths-crisis-management-at-heart-of-scandal-074781
  20. https://www.npr.org/2012/04/12/150496678/judy-smith-real-life-inspiration-behind-scandal
  21. https://www.shondaland.com/shondaland-series/legacy-shows/judy-smith-talks-the-legacy-of-scandal-and-informing-olivia-pope
  22. https://collider.com/scandal-tv-show-inspiration/
  23. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-apr-24-la-et-judy-smith-20120424-story.html
  24. https://people.com/tv/scandal-inspiration-judy-smith-answers-people-readers-questions/
  25. https://deadline.com/2016/09/fox-justice-legal-drama-scandal-judy-smith-1201818553/
  26. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3919317/
  27. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/judy-smith/good-self-bad-self/
  28. https://judysmith.com/books/
  29. https://judysmith.com/speaking/
  30. https://www.gfoa.org/sunday-keynote-judy-smith
  31. https://www.calvaryservices.org/2014/04/judy-smith-and-terri-lee-freeman-to-be-honored-with-the-hope-award/
  32. https://nywici.org/2017-matrix-awards-recap/
  33. https://www.linkedin.com/in/judyasmith
  34. https://www.fastcompany.com/1680448/how-to-turn-a-crisis-into-an-opportunity-insight-from-judy-smith-the-woman-who-inspired-abcs
  35. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/08/crisis-manager-judy-smith-top-tip-for-gaining-respect-after-mistakes.html
  36. https://www.smithandcompany.com/judy-smith-on-responding-to-a-crisis/
  37. https://www.mcchrystalgroup.com/judy-smith
  38. https://ketnergroup.com/2013/09/17/pbjscandal-inspiration-judy-smith-speaks-on-navigating-the-business-of-success/
  39. https://nationalpress.org/topic/judy-smith-video-index-what-the-real-olivia-pope-tells-the-press/
  40. https://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=3390721&page=1
  41. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/sports/football/28vick.html
  42. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/jets/2014/12/22/michael-vick-image/20783643/
  43. https://www.cnn.com/2013/07/01/justice/gallery/judy-smith-clients
  44. https://iveybusinessjournal.com/publication/bp-and-public-issues-mismanagement/
  45. https://milkeninstitute.org/events/global-conference-2023/speakers/judy-smith
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