Kia Lorece Smith is a native of Zachary, Louisiana. Kia graduated from Zachary High School and attended Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she became a 2003 initiate of the Beta Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Physics. Kia obtained a Masters of Business Administration from Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management in Malibu, California.

Kia is currently a Regional Supplier Quality Manager for Boeing Defense, Space, and Security. Kia and her team are responsible for 157 suppliers in the Los Angeles area, which provide parts and material to Boeing for integration and execution of military aircraft and space vehicles. 

Prior to that, Kia’s technical career consists of management, program management and engineering roles at The Boeing Company, Eaton Aerospace Corporation, Raytheon and NASA Ames Research Center. 

Kia is the recipient of the 2022 Society of Women Engineers Emerging Leader Award, 2022 BEYA Black Engineer of the Year: Modern Day Technology Award, and the 2021 Women of Color in Science and Technology: Rising Star. 

Kia is a co-creator of BLEND – a Boeing Retention Program for people of color, founder of the Billy and Juanita Smith Scholarship, author of the book How to Love Yourself, co-author of The HBCU Experience: The Southern University System 2nd Edition, and a Kia is also a co-creator of the Plus size dating show titled “Time 2 Go Big”.

Kia is also a certified workshop leader in Master Networking, Emotional Intelligence, and Myers-Briggs self-assessments.