Jamie Smith is Managing Director at Rational and a global communications expert who has directly advised U.S. presidents, Fortune 500 CEOs and their C-suites, and hundreds of senior government officials through complex challenges, opportunities to advance their goals and critical moments of crisis and risk management. She specializes in helping leaders simplify complexity, shape narratives and advance their goals.
Jamie has served as senior White House spokesperson and deputy White House press secretary under President Barack Obama, communications director for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, communications director for the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, executive vice president at Edelman, and chief communications officer for the Linux Foundation – the world’s largest open-source technology organization. She also founded and led Smith and Partners LLC, where she directly advised CEOs of some of the world’s largest companies and foundations. Jamie brings deep expertise in strategic communications, topline messaging and executive counsel. Over 25 years, she has worked in more than 60 countries and led or managed thousands of strategic communications integrated campaigns and crisis situations. She has spoken at the World Economic Forum, the United Nations and SXSW, and she previously taught at The George Washington University Graduate School.
She is a graduate of Kenyon College, studied at the University of Edinburgh and has enjoyed executive education courses in advanced technology at MIT and the University of Chicago.