Charlene Leonora Smith is a journalist, published author of 14 books, and a communications and marketing consultant who lives and works in the United States.
She began her career at the Johannesberg Star, and specialized in anti-apartheid resistance politics. She later reported on South African politics for Sunday Tribune (where she was also deputy bureau chief), Business Day (where she was also deputy news editor), Financial Mail (where she was associate editor) and Finance Week (where she was assistant editor). Smith has worked as a producer for ABC's Nightline (US) with Ted Koppel and for CBS 60 Minutes. She has helped produce television documentaries for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for many years, including two award winning documentaries on Nelson Mandela. A documentary on AIDS for the United Nations won the Prix Italia in 2006.