Tiffany Jones-Smith (BA ’95)
- Mrs. Barbara Walker Distinguished Black Alumni Achievement Award Honoree
Tiffany Jones-Smith (BA ’95) is President and CEO of the Texas Kidney Foundation and Chair of the Texas Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force. After losing 15 family members to kidney disease and learning she carries the APOL1 gene variant, she turned personal adversity into public impact—leading statewide efforts focused on prevention, education, and community-driven innovation.
Under her leadership, the Texas Kidney Foundation has screened more than 16,000 Texans, reached over 1 million households with grassroots outreach, and educated 8 million families nationwide through strategic partnerships and media campaigns. Her NIH-funded research has generated the largest community-based kidney health dataset in Texas, and her AI and predictive analytics work is driving new models for early detection and intervention.
Jones-Smith’s approach—“Neighbors Helping Neighbors”—reflects her belief that those closest to the problem are closest to the solution. As the first woman, first African American, and first person living with a genetic kidney disease to chair the state task force, her leadership continues to shape policy, improve access, and drive measurable results.
A Baylor graduate with Harvard Business School credentials, she also co-hosts On the Record with Tiffany and Kevin, using storytelling to build bridges and highlight the power of community-led change in healthcare.
