Lauren Reichart Smith (Ph.D. 2010) is an assistant professor of sports media in The Media School at Indiana University. She previously served as the associate director for public relations at Auburn University. As a former television producer, she worked in both the Atlanta and Birmingham television markets, and received an Emmy nomination in 2005 for her work. She earned her B.A. from Fairfield University, her M.A. from the University of Alabama-Birmingham, and her Ph.D. from the University of Alabama.

Lauren's main research area lies in mediasport - the intersection between sports and mass media. Her research encapsulates both mass media and social media. This focus has enabled her to complete research that focuses on issues of gender, race, and national identity. She has analyzed how athletes are portrayed in the media, examined how new technologies enhance a fan's enjoyment of a game, and examined the effects of participation in fantasy sports on enjoyment. Lauren's work has been presented at conferences such as Southern States Communication Association (SSCA), the International Association for Communication and Sport (IACS) Broadcast Education Association (BEA), the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) and the International Communication Association (ICA). She has won top paper awards at SSCA, BEA, IACS, AEJMC, and ICA. She is currently the past chair of the International Association for Communication and Sport and has recently served as research co-chair and program chair for the Sports Communication Interest Group of AEJMC

Her research has been published in Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, the Howard Journal of Communication, Communication Research Reports,Electronic News, the International Review for the Sociology of Sport, the Sociology of Sport Journal, Sport in Society, the Journal of Sports Media, the International Journal of Sport Communication, Communication & Sport, and the Journal of Intercultural Communication.

Lauren was once an All-American gymnast and a Division I springboard diver. She is still an avid sports fan today, and counts down the days until football season. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her husband Kenny Smith. Lauren is currently a registered member of USA Triathlon and regularly competes in triathlons. She's a proud two-time Ironman finisher, and is a three-time qualifier of USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships.