2024 Update

According to LinkedIn, Judy remains a "Chief of Communications" in Los Angeles. She seems to come out of her office for public appearances only occasionally. This photo is from one of them - the "LA BEST" (Bioscience Ecosystem Summit) conference of May 2023. Judy's style shows little change from recent years: a deep sidepart stretching to her shoulders, perhaps round-brushed at the ends.

A better view of Fortin's 'do comes from this 2022 video class, which we admittedly missed earlier. There's a bit of tucking back behind the ears for safety, but not a lot. She can put on glassses for protection as well.

We think we were right to put Fortin at the top of our 25th-anniversary "Silver Circle" honor roll of Super-Hair. She simply keeps her perfect, day after day and year after year. For a close look, watch her entire 2022 UCLA Zoom presentation. You might even become a better public speaker, as a bonus.

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2022 Update

Judy remains in Los Angeles, and was promoted in May to Chief of Communications at UCLA Health. This new "profile photo" is from August. The look hasn't changed much from 2020: a loose-looking, yet undoubtedly well-sprayed right side. A close look leads us to think a little teasing is involved here as well. There's enough hair with this cut that Judy pinned it back for her child's wedding in May 2021.

This more athletic look from the summer months shows Judy will tuck back her hair when she must - but not very much. A short strip is sufficient here, since she's indoors.

Our Fortin update comes only weeks after the channel which brought her national fame, "CNN Headline news" (now HLN) ended all live newscasts. A few clips of her anchor days still can be found on YouTube. We fear Judy's latest promotion will lead to even fewer public appearances. But maybe some agent in L.A. will discover her Ultimate Super-Hair all over again.

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2020 Update

In 2019, Judy made a surprising move - heading from Atlanta to Los Angeles to work with UCLA Health as a communications director. She took a head of hair as healthy, thick and strong as ever. This "red carpet" pose outside a movie event shows it's big enough that Judy puts it behind an ear at times for security.

The official Fortin "UCLA headshot" (as she put it on Facebook) shows the right side loose. Exactly how loose is the big question. We think it was sprayed into perfect position - and Judy has decades of experience in knowing how to spray it there, then keep it there.

As our 2020 updates end, Fortin certainly would urge you to wear a mask to guard against the spread of COVID-19. But look closely at this autumn photo - a strand of hair is loose on her forehead! Yet it's clearly not long enough to be a problem. Could it be a hint of hidden bangs? The mystery involving this amazingly unbeaten Ultimate continues.

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2018 Update

Judy has settled into her public relations work with Emory University. But she refuses to settle for even "ordinary" Super-Hair (if there is such a thing). Her Twitter feed offers several examples - including this one, showing no change in her basic look. A big thick mane of hair is on the right side, tempting Hair Fans to come after it.

How does our Ultimate do it? A photo from a conference presentation reveals one clue. There's flipped semi-curl at the ends on both sides. That can provide some weight for control (especially if sprayed).

And if she must, Judy's hair is long enough that she can tuck it behind an ear for safety. We don't think that happens often, though.

While Judy's Super-Hair may seem windproof, this photo proves it's not. Yet she was smart enough to pose for a picture at Kentucky's Keeneland racetrack with the wind blowing in her face. The style floated back, and out of trouble. We're left to guess what happened after that. With Fortin's fabulous hair still undefeated in public, we may never know. That's the sensational mysterious fascination that Ultimate Super-Hair provides.

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2016 Update

Judy's job in Atlanta has not changed since our last update. And her amazing way with hairstyles have not changed, either. This Facebook profile photo from March (one of the few she's posted there) shows her hair is still shoulder-length, with risky-looking thickness on the right side. But teasing on top and a probable mix of iron and spray keep the style perfect. She can tuck it behind the ear in tough moments, if need be.

This pose from a medical conference shows that right side leaning in - but it's not down. We think spray saved the day for her there. While Judy is tweeting more these days, she's posted nothing to reveal her Ultimate hair looking weak or endangered. Yes, we think we put the right woman at the top of this list 16 years ago.

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2014 Update

In late 2013 Judy changed P.R. jobs, yet stayed in Atlanta. She now works with Emory University's cancer institute -- but she seems to have stepped back from the spotlight. This Facebook photo from October is about the only new picture we could find. If a wind is blowing, it's in Judy's face - and shoulder-length hair may already have been placed there defensively.

Shortly before changing jobs, Fortin recorded a DVD series on brain injuries. This vidcap from late in Part Three offers an interesting comparison with the picture above, especially on her right side. A strip close to her eyes seems much weaker in the studio, and actually may have degraded a bit under camera lights. It's close, but still undefeated.

The entire DVD series can be reviewed on YouTube. What we saw from two parts indicates Judy still has Ultimate-level Super-Hair. Even if it's weakening a bit, fewer public appearances could keep her reputation intact.

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2012 Update

Judy has moved from news to nonprofit P.R., as National Director of Media Relations with the American Cancer Society. But she still makes occasional public appearances, including host roles for webcasts and promotional videos. A video for Atlanta's Shepherd Center showed Judy's hair still at shoulder-length. In fact, she now uses a shoulder to keep it in place - giving the appearance she's using no spray at all. Is our Ultimate style weakening?

Not from the looks of this late-2011 journalism panel at the University of South Florida. We don't know how she achieved this, but the right side of the style is thick and luxurious. Yet this is a half-hour discussion, so anything could happen....

....and when a technical worker seems to adjust her microphone, she has to dip her head. Yet the Super-Hair doesn't plunge much; we think a strip to your right is blocked by the glasses she increasingly wears.

You can see how well she handles this "in-between-length" look by watching the USF panel discussion - all 28 minutes where she's on the platform. We still marvel to see her undefeated Ultimate hair at work.

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2010 Update

Judy left CNN in 2009, to join an Atlanta clearinghouse for speakers and news "experts." But look at what she's done to her Super-Hair -- grow it out to shoulder-length, like we've never seen from her before. This corporate photo suggests the vulnerable right side of Judy's hair is sprayed into perfect line.

Yet this picture from an August awards program hints at a looser look, with strips of hair seemingly wanting to go their own direction. They're not going near Judy's eyes, of course -- and we wonder if she switched to a lighter spray to achieve this. Her risk has increased, but her success with hold remains unmatched.

As far as we know, Judy ended 19 years on cable TV with her hair never falling. That verifies her place atop this list, as well as a spot in our Project 20/10 list. And if you're at the right public event in Atlanta at the right time, you still can see her serving as emcee and check how that perfection is going.

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2008 Update

Judy's role at CNN hasn't changed much since our last update, and her on-air appearances remain scarce. But the network had wonderful timing for us, presenting a live medical report with her only a few days before we posted this update. This look hints at a bit of mixed layering in his basic style. But especially note a bit of curl added above the right eye. It's clear to us some bangs have grown out, and the curve (probably with added spray) keeps the Super-Hair in perfect position.

This report from April 2008 took place inside a school. All-around length in the style is evident here - and the hair bends away at precisely the right moment, barely touching her eyebrow. Do a search for Judy's name at the CNN Video section to find more examples of her perfect looks (longer clips seem more likely to include her on camera).

With her times on the air limited, Judy continues to display undefeated Ultimate hair mastery. You can see her adjustments over nearly two decades in a picture collection by an obvious CNN Headline News fan.

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2006 Update

Many Hair Fans were disappointed at the start of 2006 when CNN Headline News shuffled its anchors. Fortin was moved to part-time, "fill-in" duty. We had to drop her from our Top Ten Tresses list because of it. But TV news message boards indicate Fortin didn't take well to the change, and asked for reassignment -- so now she's a reporter with CNN's medical unit. The network biography of her doesn't indicate she's with the Headline News side at all. But it does have this current picture, showing her sidepart possibly flat-ironed a bit for straightness. The bangs are ever-so-close to collapse. But as always, they don't.

The disappointing thing about Fortin's new role is that people hear her on TV more than they see her. She's the voice of "Medical Minutes" sent to many local TV stations, but on-camera appearances don't happen very often. We captured this exception in June 2006, with right-side bangs slightly mussed compared to the picture above - but if anything, these don't appear as likely to hit her eye. May CNN show her more frequently, to show the world what a true head of "Super-Hair" is all about.

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2004 Update

In an early 2004 speech at her alma mater, Fortin said she "got the anchor hair going" when she moved behind the desk at CNN Headline News. It's still going after all these years, though she still has occasional moments of slight weakness. Even if a few bangs drop as you see here, longer ones are strong enough that she averts defeat.

Here's another side view, from late 2004. It shows the precise, perfect shape of an Ultimate style. If you don't have cable, you can follow this amazing hair at a great source we use, TV Heads.

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2002 Update

Deep thanks goes to a Hair Fan in Los Angeles, for providing "vid-caps" of this "cap" style from early in 2002. Judy has shown signs either that she's getting more daring, or the "Ultimate of Ultimates" is slowly starting to weaken. This photo reflects what we saw one December day -- bangs more across the forehead than brushed to the side.

The bangs nearest the right eye are only a half-inch away from defeat -- yet still holding strong. We've seen an instance or two, though, where the hair seems to slip slightly during a long run on-camera. Only slightly, though - never enough to hit the eyes.

This is a rare profile look at the Super-style's vulnerable side. We believe she still uses a bit of layering to make longer strands look like they could collapse, when in reality they're not likely to do so.

CNN Headline News viewers don't seem to rate Judy as highly as we do, so photo collections of her are scarce. The best we could find was through joining (we're almost ashamed to post this name) the "CNN Babes" Yahoo! group.

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