Judith Smelser

jsmelser@cfpublic.org
407-273-2300 Ext. 120

Judith Smelser is president and general manager of Central Florida Public Media, previously named WMFE, the only local nonprofit news organization serving the nine-county Central Florida region. She began her journalism career in Washington, D.C., before moving to Central Florida in 2004 to join the newsroom at WMFE. Over nearly eight years, she excelled as an award-winning reporter and later as news director. In 2011, she left for Colorado Public Radio, where she held several newsroom leadership roles.

After her time in Colorado, Smelser returned to Orlando and launched Smelser Editing & Consulting, providing consulting and training services to more than 30 public media organizations nationwide. Her journey came full circle when she returned to WMFE as president and general manager.

Since joining the organization in 2021, she has led Central Florida Public Media to launch the local discussion show Engage, the local news podcast The Wrap, a new reporting beat covering housing and homelessness, and the Emerging Journalists Fellowship program. In 2024, she spearheaded the rebranding of WMFE to Central Florida Public Media, representing the nonprofit's evolution into a multimedia organization dedicated to serving the local region with trustworthy, independent journalism. Her leadership has been particularly critical as public media organizations, including Central Florida Public Media, adapt to the elimination of federal and state funding.

Smelser also collaborated with the Central Florida Foundation and Oviedo Community News to co-found the News Collaborative of Central Florida, a collective of independent local news outlets and aligned partners working toward a more informed and engaged Central Florida. The Collaborative grew out of a series of Local Journalism Ecosystem Summits held at Central Florida Public Media in 2024 and aims to address the challenges facing local news now and into the future.

In addition to leading Central Florida Public Media, Smelser serves on the Executive Committee of the Board for Florida Public Media.

In recognition of her contributions, Smelser was honored as one of ONYX Magazine’s 2025 Women on the Move, Orlando Magazine’s 2024 Women of the Year and one of the Orlando Business Journal’s 2024 Most Influential Leaders.