Kristine Smith

Originally from Oakland, California, Kristine began InSpira in May 2002 with 14 kids in the basement of a church. Through hard work, building the right relationships, and perseverance, InSpira has grown to almost 300 students and 16 faculty and administrative team members. Kristine has been dancing since she was three and truly has a passion for impacting the lives of others through dance, music, and cultural experiences.

Kristine received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mass Media Arts from Clark Atlanta University and a Master of Science Degree in Sports Administration from Georgia State University. In 2010, she won the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership’s Business Plan Competition, earning $25,000. In 2014, she graduated from the prestigious Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program. Kristine is among the prestigious High Performance Forum Alumni with World Thought Leader Darren Hardy. In December 2018, she graduated from the Rutgers University Entrepreneurship Pioneers Initiative Program, and in October 2019, she became an alumna of the Small Business Administration Emerging Leaders Program.

Making an impact in the lives of children is at her core. On November 17, 2019, she launched her children’s coloring book "Let’s Dance: An Inspirational Coloring Book for Kids Who Love to Dance". The proceeds from this book go toward dance scholarships for children interested in dance at InSpira. On InSpira’s Founders Day, May 14th, 2019, she and her husband Leon announced the opening of a second location in Newark at Teachers Village in Fall 2019. This dream became a reality on January 25, 2020.

Family, community, and service are Kristine’s lifeblood. InSpira began their formal scholarship program in 2006 and is now in its sixth year of a scholarship partnership with Franklin Middle School’s Dance Program. Kristine served on the Board for Dance New Jersey, the state organization that gives voice to dance and its supporters, from 2016-2021, and is currently on the advisory panel for Youth Protection Advocates in Dance. She is proud of InSpira’s name in the community. InSpira performs at various events, including The Three Doctors Foundation Holiday Basketball Benefit and Hyacinth World AIDS Day celebration. A truly proud moment was when InSpira had the honor of performing for the UNCF’s Mayor’s Ball in Newark in 2015.

Kristine is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., initiated at Clark Atlanta University’s Sigma Chapter and currently a member of the Central Jersey Alumnae Chapter. She has received numerous honors, including the Woman of Achievement Award from the Central Jersey Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Pearl Award of the Arts from the Nu Xi Omega Chapter’s Charitable Arm of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Citizen of the Year from the Omicron Chi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and the 2019 Leadership in the Arts Award from the National Council of Negro Women NJ Chapter. She has been a member of More Than Just Great Dancing since 2016 and received the Inspiration Award from Founder Misty Lown in 2019.

Kristine is the proud wife of Leon Smith, and they have twin daughters, Kiara and Kiana.