Evan Smith (born April 20, 1966) is the CEO and editor-in-chief of The Texas Tribune.
Born in New York, Smith has a bachelor's degree in public policy from Hamilton College and a master's degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (which inducted him into its Hall of Achievement in April 2006). He previously held editorial positions at a number of national magazines, most recently as deputy editor at The New Republic. Smith has written for Newsweek, GQ, and other national magazines. Since February 2003, he has hosted a weekly interview program, Texas Monthly Talks, which airs on every PBS station and some public radio stations across Texas.
Smith sits on the boards of the Austin Film Society, the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, the Headliners Club, and the Texas Book Festival. He is also the founding co-chair of the Texas Film Hall of Fame. He served for five years on the board of the American Society of Magazine Editors, most recently as its vice president; for six years on the board of KLRU, Austin's public television station; and for eight years on the board of the Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas at Austin.
Smith joined the staff of Texas Monthly as a senior editor in January 1992. In February 1993, he was promoted to deputy editor, and in July 2000, he was made editor. In May 2002, he added the title of executive vice president. He announced his intention to resign on July 17, 2009, and stepped down on August 21, 2009.
During Smith's tenure over as editor, Texas Monthly was nominated for 16 National Magazine Awards, the magazine industry's equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize. In April 2009, Texas Monthly was awarded the National Magazine Award for General Excellence for only the fourth time in its history.
Smith co-founded the Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, non-partisan public media organization, with Austin venture capitalist John Thornton and veteran journalist Ross Ramsey. It launched on November 3, 2009.