Janet Crenshaw Smith is co-founder and president of IVY Planning Group, a 20-year-old management consulting and training company that specializes in diversity, strategy and change management.

Ivy is recognized as one of the Top 50 minority-owned companies by DiversityBusiness.com, It was named “Emerging Company of the Year Finalist” by Black Enterprise Magazine; and received the Working Woman Magazine Entrepreneurial Excellence Award.

Smith was honored as a “Diversity Pioneer” by Profiles in Diversity Journal.  Minority Business & Professionals Network, Inc. named Smith one of “Fifty Influential Minorities in Business”.

Profiles in Diversity Journal featured her in its Women of Initiative issue, naming her one of “47 Women Worth Watching.” In 2008, she testified before a U.S. Congressional subcommittee as an expert on performance, diversity and inclusion.

Smith is author of the popular “58 Little Things That Make a Big Impact:  The MicroTrigger Book” and “The Diversity Action Book:  143 Things To Go Do”.

Smith is an engaging speaker and is frequently quoted in national publications on the topics of diversity, change management and leadership.

She and her husband and business partner, Gary A. Smith, are profiled in “DreamMakers: Putting Vision & Values to Work”, a book that chronicles how leading-edge organizations are able to succeed and realize their vision and values.

Smith works with corporate CEOs, executive teams, agency administrators, and senior officials to build strategies, facilitate challenging discussions, and achieve the organization’s vision.

IVY’s clients include MetLife, Nike, UBS Investment Bank, L’Oreal, Deloitte Consulting, Herman Miller, Verizon, Lehman Brothers, Lockheed Martin, Allianz, Target, Progress Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Government Accountability Office, U.S. Department of Justice, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and U.S. Department of the Treasury.

A native of Chicago’s south side, Janet received her Bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in Psychology and Social Relations.

She started her professional career at IBM Corp. where she held a number of marketing and management positions, including manager of executive consulting services.

Smith serves on the Governing Group of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

She also served as vice chair of the National Women’s Business Center, Association of African American Harvard Alumni (AAAHA), strategic planning board of the Rainbow PUSH/Wall Street Project, TEC/Vistage, SHRM, American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), VisArts Metropolitan Center for the Arts, The Strategic Leadership Forum, the International Society for Strategic Management and Planning, Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), National Association of Women Business Owners, and Potomac Valley Chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc.

Smith lives in Maryland with her husband and business partner, Gary A. Smith, Sr.  They have three sons.  She is a member of the Florida Avenue Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. where she is vice chair of the Women’s Ministry.