Jennifer W. Boys Smith, BSN, PHN, CEN, TNCC serves as a Family Advisor with CPQCC, bringing both her professional expertise as a registered nurse
and her personal experience as the mother of a micro-preemie. With more than 20 years at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center- 17 of those in the Emergency
Department- Jennifer contributes a strong clinical background to her advocacy for improving neonatal and perinatal care. Her passion for this work is deeply rooted in her own journey. During a high-risk pregnancy complicated by a chronic placental abruption that began at 14 weeks, multiple blood transfusions, and premature rupture of membranes at 19 weeks, Jennifer was told multiple times to consider terminating her daughter. Defying the odds, her daughter was born at 23 weeks and spent four months in the NICU. A long 4 months that involved her daughter becoming septic on two separate occasions. This experience revealed to Jennifer both the critical importance of family-centered care and the opportunities for growth and education within the NICU environment.
Through her role with CPQCC, Jennifer is committed to supporting families, elevating standards of care for the most fragile infants, and ensuring that
parents perspectives are integrated into system improvements. She believes improving outcomes for babies begins with empowering families and
fostering collaboration between parents and providers. Jennifer dedicates her service to honoring her daughter’s fight for life and to helping ensure that
more babies and families receive the best possible chance for a healthy future. Jennifer lives with her husband, 4 year old son and miracle baby Eliana and
their two dogs.