Jennifer K. Smith

Jennifer K. Smith is the founding partner and President of SFI. She provides big-picture strategic communications counsel to SFI’s corporate, association, non-profit, and political clients.  She effectively utilizes diverse marketing platforms to creatively drive messaging to a wide range of audiences. Smith thrives on fast-paced environments, with constant challenges, that generate over-the-top sales, marketing, fundraising, and political outcomes.

Most recently, Smith launched Proxy Solicitation as an agency practice area.  Smith oversaw a successful proxy solicitation campaign for a Fortune 500 company – under what many said were insurmountable odds.

Smith’s creative vision transcends the corporate boardroom where she has created unforgettable images and shaped winning media campaigns and strategies for numerous clients.  She has directed and produced some of the most memorable events around the world, including three Academy Awards Oscar Viewing pre and post parties; five Presidential Inaugurations; the logistics and media relations for ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’s 2009 Washington, D.C. double build (the largest build in the show’s history); and a six-month, 15-city marketing and promotional tour for the U.S. Department of Energy, which was touted by the DOE and its corporate partners as being one of the most successful tours in the history of the agency.

Prior to founding the firm, Smith was the Senior Vice President for P.M. Consulting Corporation where she advised U.S. Senators as well as counseled trade associations about grassroots lobbying techniques. She also served as Vice President and lobbyist for a leading Washington think tank where she organized and led coalitions and advisory committees, supervised the communications and public affairs, expanded the media outreach and conceived and launched the organization’s Law and Economics Program, Resident Scholar Chair, Media Law Fellowships and Products Liability Project.

Smith began her career as the Finance Chief of Staff for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) where she advised all Senatorial candidates about fundraising as well as was the liaison to the White House and other Administration agencies. Prior to that, she was the NRSC Deputy PAC Director and was a research assistant at the Wall Street Journal. A Miami University (Ohio) graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, Smith received a Masters Degree in American Government from Georgetown University.