Judy Smith — inspiration for ‘Scandal’ TV series — on her path to the White House

January 3, 2021
Watch it on Yahoo Life
From riding past in her father’s taxicab to working inside the Oval Office, crisis management expert Judy Smith tells the little-known story of her path to becoming the first Black woman to brief the White House press corps. Smith, CEO of Smith & Company and the inspiration for Shonda Rhimes’s hit series “Scandal,” tells Yahoo News that at the time, she did not fully realize the significance of her historic appointment as deputy press secretary and special adviser to President George H.W. Bush. Now, following the announcement that president-elect Joe Biden’s administration will see an entirely female senior press team, and only the second Black female deputy press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, the real-life Olivia Pope reflects on what she hopes will inspire generations to come.

Karine Jean-Pierre Is The 1st Black Woman In Decades To Brief White House Press
July 12, 2021

When Karine Jean-Pierre stepped behind the lectern to take reporters’ questions in the briefing room Wednesday, she was the first Black woman to speak for the White House in that capacity in three decades.

EPISODE 37 — Judy Smith — Managing Crisis Like a Professional Fixer
December 8, 2020

Judy Smith‘s work as a world-renowned crisis management expert and entrepreneur has earned her the reputation of being the ultimate “fixer.” She was George H. W. Bush’s Deputy Press Secretary, she graduated law school, and her ground-breaking work even inspired a hit TV show: Scandal. In this episode, Judy unlocks her vault of expertise to teach

Judy Smith: The Real-Life Olivia Pope Knows How to Handle a Crisis
December 2, 2020

For a big part of her career, Judy Smith has been on speed dial for some of the world’s leading companies, high-profile celebrities, and individuals. Smith is one of the most sought after crisis management experts in the world, with experience including such historic events as the Iran Contra investigation, the Monica Lewinsky scandal, the Sony Corporation hacking crisis, and the