Candace Smith, an award-winning communicator with 20 years of experience in broadcast, print and crisis messaging, is GW’s new executive director of media relations. Ms. Smith comes to GW from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro), where she served as spokesperson and executive communication advisor to the general manager over the past four years.
At GW, Ms. Smith says a top priority is promoting the University and faculty “beyond the campus” by highlighting the University’s goals, including affordability and sustainability, and its presence as a premier research institution. Ms. Smith also plans to offer media coaching to faculty and staff and says she is very excited to be at GW. “I have a great opportunity to work at a university that promotes lifelong learning, provides a stimulating intellectual environment and is a catalyst for creativity — who doesn’t want to work in a place like that?” says Ms. Smith.
As a Metro spokesperson, Ms. Smith worked daily with reporters from international, national and local media; developed media training and crisis curriculum for the organization; and handled communications in the aftermath of high-profile events, including derailments, passenger and employee deaths, and terrorism alerts. Ms. Smith also hosted media training for local police and transportation executives around the country and helped create regional crisis communication messaging for the Council of Governments in Washington, D.C.
Along with issuing nearly 500 news releases and handling more than 8,000 press inquiries a year, Metro’s media office has dealt with its fair share of crises, which Ms. Smith says requires focus and a level head. “A true crisis — death and injury— is stressful but honestly you’re not even thinking about it at the time,” says Ms. Smith. “It’s important to keep calm and do your job really fast. There’s a synergy that takes place in a crisis, so you just focus and get your job done and keep the victims foremost in your mind.”
Ms. Smith first got her start in journalism at age 16 as a videographer at her local TV station, KXMB-TV in Bismarck, N.D. Ms. Smith has worked in television, radio and print journalism for 16 years around in the country, including Washington, D.C., New York, North Dakota and New Jersey. Locally, Ms. Smith worked for the Associated Press and was the Washington correspondent for several foreign radio networks, as well as wrote and produced features for The Osgood File on the CBS Radio Network and worked as a freelance writer for CNN. She has an associate of arts degree in journalism from Bismarck State College, a bachelor of arts in international relations, broadcast and journalism from Syracuse University, and is currently finishing her master’s degree in organizational leadership, public relations and marketing at the University of Denver.
An assistant adjunct professor of emergency medicine at GW, Ms. Smith is no stranger to the University, but says she is looking forward to working full time in an academic environment. “Being in a university setting and being around young, intellectual people is stimulating and particularly at GW,” says Ms. Smith. “You’re in the nation’s capital, and it’s really a great place to be. I’m very excited to be here.”