The Team

As a former licensed foster parent, adoptive parent, and someone with a deeply personal connection to childhood adversity and complex trauma, Chrystal Smith has seen firsthand the gaps in the child welfare system and the unmet needs of both caregivers and children. Through her journey, she observed that families and children surrounded by consistent, therapeutic networks of support were far more likely to experience lasting growth and healing. This insight became the foundation for Foster Village.

Chrystal holds a degree in Child Development and a master’s degree in Management and Leadership (MSML). She has extensive training in trauma-informed care as a TBRI Practitioner® and professional experience as a certified Parent Educator. This combination of personal experience and professional expertise uniquely equips her to walk alongside families navigating vulnerable and complex circumstances. Drawing from her background in adverse childhood experiences, parent education, advocacy, and foster care—as well as her extensive knowledge of child development and child safety—Chrystal set out to build an organization that not only meets immediate needs but also addresses the root causes that contribute to involvement in the child welfare system.

As the founder and visionary behind Foster Village, Chrystal is deeply committed to strengthening families and communities. She is most passionate about her role as a wife and mother to her four children and about being a vessel of hope through a story shaped by resilience, healing, and grace. Chrystal has served on multiple state and national advisory and judicial committees focused on child and family welfare and is widely regarded as a trusted voice in advancing solutions to systemic challenges within the child welfare system.