Orlando Business Journal (OBJ) and the Florida Coalition to End Homelessness recently recognized Central Florida Public Media staff for their dedication to journalism and fostering civil discourse based on trusted facts.
President and General Manager Judith Smelser was named one of OBJ’s Most Influential Leaders for her commitment to empowering Central Florida through reliable, independent journalism and ensuring Central Florida Public Media remains a cornerstone of community engagement.
Under Judith’s leadership, Central Florida Public Media has introduced impactful initiatives such as the local show Engage, the news podcast The Wrap and a dedicated reporting beat on housing and homelessness issues.
Since creating a dedicated beat focused on housing challenges, Central Florida Public Media’s Housing & Homelessness Reporter Lilly Hernández Caraballo was awarded The Florida Coalition to End Homelessness’s Shining the Light award for her dedication to sharing reliable news on the topic. Lillian’s recent work includes:
- Orange County invests $1 million expanding homeless services in Central Florida
- Orlando proclaims November as Youth Homelessness Awareness Month
- Activists Urge Orlando, Orange County to Address 'Deeply Concerning' Homelessness Criminalization
“We are honored that the Coalition recognizes the critical role journalism plays in helping our community understand and address complex problems like homelessness,” said Judith Smelser, President and General Manager of Central Florida Public Media. “We invested in this new beat and brought Lilly onto our team as part of our commitment to empowering our community, and we are proud of her work.”
Central Florida Public Media champions a workplace culture that values innovation, authenticity and inclusivity, empowering staff to deliver independent journalism to nine counties across Central Florida. It also aims to empower future journalists through its Emerging Journalists Fellowship, which offers valuable career opportunities to new graduates and aspiring journalists entering the field.