NASHVILLE -- Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced that his long-time press secretary, David Smith, will now serve as director of communications for his administration.
"Dave has been a valued part of our team since the 2010 campaign, and I'm excited to have him take on this expanded role," Haslam said in a news release.
He said Smith is "trusted, respected and well liked both by folks in state government and by the media. His experience will serve him well as he drives our message on education, job creation and efficient and effective government."
David SmithAs director of communications, Smith serves as the Haslam administration's top communications official. As an advisor and strategist to the governor, Cabinet, senior staff and state departments, Smith oversees internal and external communications and overall messaging for the administration.
Smith called it an "incredible honor to serve the state of Tennessee on behalf of the governor and to work alongside the team he has around him. I'm looking forward to this role and the challenges that come with this new opportunity."
A graduate of George Washington University, Smith joined the Haslam gubernatorial campaign in 2010 as press secretary after working as an information specialist with the University of Tennessee administration. He was a staff writer at the National Journal Group's The Hotline in Washington, D.C., before becoming a reporter at the San Mateo Daily News and then The Examiner in San Francisco.
Smith, 36, and his wife, Nell, a native of Oak Ridge, have a daughter and live in Nashville.
He replaces former communications director Alexia Poe, who left the administration in August to become a communications communications consultant in the private sector.