Jennifer Skidmore Smith

Jenny Skidmore Smith learned to play chess from her father Michael Skidmore, the chess coach for Kearsley high school in Flint, Michigan.  As a scholastic player, Jenny was the first female to win the Michigan Young Junior Championship (1988) and Junior Championship (1993).  She led her elementary, junior high and high school teams to state championships in the 1980s and 90s.

Jenny was the U.S. representative for the 1990 World Youth Girls U16 championships and 1992 World Youth Girls U18 championships.

Jenny competed in 30 consecutive Michigan Women’s Chess Championships from 1986-2015, finishing first in half of them.  She also won the Michigan Amateur Championship four times.

Professionally, Jennifer serves at the lab manager for Dr. Donna Martin’s developmental genetics research lab in the Pediatrics department at the University of Michigan.  She is the co-author of over 30 peer-reviewed scientific publications.