Tiffany Jones-Smith embodies the adage “triumph over tragedy.” She is no stranger to grief, having lost 15 members of her family to kidney disease and later discovering that she herself carried the same high-risk genetic marker. It would have been easy to surrender to this grief and let it consume her. Instead, Jones-Smith was motivated toward action, fighting to ensure the safety and well-being of Texans across the state at risk of kidney disease.
After an immersion course in Italian language at L’Universita Per Stanieri, Jones-Smith graduated from Baylor in 1995, where she studied journalism and foreign service. Her pursuit of learning did not end there, as she went on to earn a public leadership credential from Harvard Business School.
Today, Tiffany Jones-Smith serves as president and CEO of the Texas Kidney Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to prevention, early detection, and support for Texans with chronic kidney disease. In addition to her work at the Texas Kidney Foundation, Jones-Smith was appointed chair of the Texas Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force, a think tank and educational resource for health care professionals navigating this complex, life-threatening disease.
Each year, Jones-Smith reaches thousands of Texans through her work, with a particular focus on communities where access to care, resources, and information has historically been limited. Under Jones-Smith’s leadership, the Texas Kidney Foundation has screened more than 16,000 Texans, reached over 1 million households, and educated 8 million families nationwide.
Through her NIH-funded research, the foundation has also developed the state’s largest community-based kidney health dataset. Her efforts have been, in a word, lifesaving as she channels her passion for protecting Texans from this silent epidemic into action.
Jones-Smith’s time at Baylor was formative, shaping her into the strong leader and advocate she is today. She not only credited Baylor for helping shape her faith and focus, but also said Baylor gave her the necessary foundation to pursue an advocacy-centered career. The Baylor community has continued to champion Jones-Smith as she works to protect Texans across the state. In 2025, she was presented with the Mrs. Barbara Walker Distinguished Black Alumni Achievement Award by the Baylor Black Alumni Alliance in recognition of her exemplary service, leadership, and impact.
Tiffany Jones-Smith’s work is grounded in a simple but powerful belief: neighbors helping neighbors. Guided by a deep commitment to giving back, she has dedicated her career to improving access to care and resources for historically marginalized communities. As the first woman, first African American, and first person living with a genetic kidney disease to chair the Texas Chronic Kidney Disease State Task Force, her leadership has been barrier-breaking. Beyond her important policy work, Jones-Smith centers lived experience through her podcast, On the Record with Tiffany and Kevin, where she elevates patient voices and underscores their essential role in shaping meaningful change alongside her husband, Kevin.
Kidney disease is a silent killer, blindsiding thousands of Texans every day. That urgency is what makes Jones-Smith’s work so vital. By raising awareness and amplifying patient voices, she shines a light on an illness many Texans might never think to be screened for. In this work, Jones-Smith has found more than a career; she has found her calling.
Read about the complete 2026 class of Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony honorees in a special edition of Baylor Line Magazine.
