Originally from the Metro Detroit area, Ms. Kmiec pursued both her undergraduate and graduate studies at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she developed a passion for professional development within health care.

Ms. Kmiec began her career in graduate medical education (GME) at a community hospital, where she played a key role in transitioning American Osteopathic Association-approved programs to ACGME accreditation. Seeking broader opportunities, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee to join Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Department of Surgery as the Program Manager for the surgery residency program. There, she quickly expanded her leadership role and was promoted to Manager of the Surgery Education Team, overseeing the surgery clerkship, residency, and fellowship program managers.

Ms. Kmiec served on the Executive Committee for the Association of Residency Administrators in Surgery (ARAS) for three and a half years, contributing significantly as the Professional Development and Mentorship Program Chair, where she worked to enhance the training and support available to surgery residency administrators nationwide.

In September 2023, Ms. Kmiec relocated to Chicago, Illinois to take on a new challenge as Manager for the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators at the American College of Surgeons, where she continued to support the advancement of surgical education, working to foster professional development and collaboration among leading surgical educators.