Charmaine Smith

Charmaine Smith is a Communication Specialist and Editor who has worked in the academic and civil society sectors for more than 20 years, often in partnership with high-profile government departments and development agencies. From 2003 until 2016 she served as the Communication and Knowledge Manager of the Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town (UCT), where she played a central role in the development and implementation of a communication strategy that has raised the visibility and reputation of the Institute as a cutting-edge policy research and advocacy unit. Since then, she has worked as the part-time Communication Manager for several projects led by UCT: the Mandela Initiative, the Poverty & Inequality Initiative, the Basic Package of Support for NEET Youth Project, and currently for the African Centre of Excellence for Inequality Research. Charmaine has an MA Journalism degree (cum laude) from Stellenbosch University; a post-graduate diploma in writing and producing for the media from Hertsford College, England; and a national diploma in journalism from Pretoria Technicon.