Renee Smith

A self-described perfectionist, Renee Smith began high school at age 10 and graduated when she was 14.

Renee completed high school and two years of college in her native Jamaica.

In 2000, when Renee arrived in South Florida, she was 17 years old.

Financial difficulties forced Renee to put her college education on hold for nearly two years. She married and had two kids.

Renee always wanted to be a detective. However, an early job in medical records led her to make correction centers the hub of her career. She’s been working in correctional healthcare since 2005 and is now a health services administrator at Broward County’s main jail.

In 2017, she completed her undergraduate degree in supervision and management, while working in the jails.

Over the last eight years, Renee has managed health information for four South Florida correctional facilities, totaling 3,500 beds. She was a part of the medical team that led the facility to be awarded “Facility of the Year” by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care.

Professor Cynthia LeRouge, director of the master’s program in health informatics and analytics,  encouraged Renee to “go for it and not be afraid.” It gave Renee the strength to apply for her current position and ask for a higher salary. She got both.

Renee also credits the Consumer Health Informatics course with providing skills critical to think outside the box and apply the knowledge to different segments of the correctional healthcare industry to make changes happen.

By Cynthia Corzo
Assistant Director of News, Publications & Communications
College of Business