Chrystal Smith

Chrystal Smith has a degree in Child Development and professional experience as a Parent Educator to parents walking through vulnerable circumstances. In walking alongside these marginalized children and families, she has had the opportunity to witness how the families and children with consistent and therapeutic networks of support are also the ones who ultimately have the most success in growth and redemption. Chrystal is trained and certified in trauma-informed care of children who have been through adverse childhood experiences, which she applies to all aspects of her role as Executive Director of Foster Village. She has had the opportunity to advocate for children and families in the child welfare system at the state capitol and at various summits for policymakers and stakeholders. Chrystal is also a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician through a partnership with Dell Children's Hospital. Foster Village is the passion project of Chrystal's family, who knows first hand the value of having a village of support while in the trenches of foster care. The Smiths became a licensed foster home in early 2014 and later had the privilege of adopting their precious daughter who came to their home at 8 months old. As fate would have it, they also welcomed their daughter's birth mother into the family- a strong young woman who aged out of foster care herself, inspiring a lot of what we do through Foster Village. x