Elisa Smith

Smith is a seasoned communications professional with over 25 years of experience as a print journalist and public relations practitioner specializing in higher education. As Senior Director of Strategic Communications and External Affairs, Smith is responsible for shaping and maintaining FoundationCCC’s external presence through comprehensive communications and partnership building in support of the California Community Colleges.

FoundationCCC Highlights:

• Having joined FoundationCCC in September 2024, Smith is responsible for crafting compelling narratives that elevate the impact of the California Community Colleges, advancing the priorities of Vision 2030, raising awareness of FoundationCCC’s initiatives, and building partnerships
• Smith delivers strategic communications across key organization initiatives, including executive communications. She also collaborates with the communications team to oversee major campaigns and projects and manages the organization’s media relations strategy

Smith brings a unique understanding of the state’s higher education landscape to her role at FoundationCCC. She spent seven years as a senior communications consultant for the University of California, providing media relations and strategy, crisis and internal communications, executive positioning, content strategy, social media, and marketing support for UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, UC Office of the President, and UC Irvine’s Connected Learning Lab. 

Before running her consulting business, Smith was the director of news and communications and public information officer for California State University, Sacramento. As the official media spokesperson for the university, Smith cultivated strong relationships with reporters, editors, and producers by frequently facilitating and giving interviews and advising university leadership on executive communications, messaging, brand positioning, and crisis communications. Smith also has experience leading teams and developing comprehensive communications campaigns for KP Public Affairs, UC Berkeley, Burson-Marsteller, the Campaign for College Opportunity, and Special Olympics Northern California and Nevada. She began her career as a journalist for the Associated Press and Contra Costa Times.

Smith graduated from California State University, Chico, with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Political Science. She is also a proud alum of Santa Rosa Junior College.