Our Executive Team
Eric Smith, President & Chairman
Born in Chattanooga, Tenn. in 1956, Eric Smith soon realized he needed to overcome “the roaring lion of rejection” that came with being a stutterer. He fought every day to overcome his fear of public speaking and the shame and pain that went with not expressing himself. Influenced by former Real Estate developer Mr. Hugh Huffaker Jr and Bank CEO Mr. George Clark Jr, Eric challenged himself and took jobs that forced him to speak. He was a waiter, a real estate agent, and a professional in the banking industry. He served in the U.S. Navy for eight years and is currently a business owner of The Caring Painters Inc. and a disabled veteran. Smith was an older student when he enrolled in Grossmont College in the 1990s. English instructor Cathy Harvey was his first teacher. He remembers not liking her at first because she would return his papers filled with red ink and point out ways to improve his words. Now, the two are great friends, and he often speaks in her classes. Like everything else in his life, he overcame his problems with writing. He published a book titled “From Crack to Clergy: Provoking Thoughts.” He writes about “bad starts” and the fears that led to his addiction. He also talks about how he triumphs his addiction and how his faith, influential people who showed they cared for him, saved him. As he said: “I believe that we all can do more than we think we can, but how does anyone know that except when someone comes to shake them, touch them, show them that they are more than they think.” After two years in the Ethnic Studies program at Grossmont College, he transferred to Christian Heritage College, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Human Development. Rev. Smith entered the ministry in 1999 and founded the nonprofit Loving Care Outreach Church to serve the public and those in need, including addicts, alcoholics, inmates, and troubled youth. Later, he founded The Loving Care Center, helping the elderly who live in skilled nursing facilities, and Reading Changes Lives Inc., a nonprofit literacy organization geared to help disenfranchised youth and adults learn to read.
Jayme Howell, Director of Community Engagement
Jayme has worked in the healthcare and governmental industry for eight years, gaining experience in Nursing, Organizational Leadership, Healthcare Management, and Finance. As a seasoned leader for Reading Changes Lives Inc., he is passionate about helping advance young children and young adults into future leaders through helping them with their education. In addition to helping young children and young adults gain a better education, he is also involved in helping them make better health choices and understand financial literacy, civic literacy, and efficacy. Jayme currently has a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing & Healthcare Administration from the University of Phoenix in 2012 and a Master’s in Healthcare Management and Nursing from DeVry University 2015. Jayme is currently seeking a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Southern New Hampshire University. Outside of the office, Jayme enjoys helping his local church, reading, gardening, spending time with his partner Michael, and playing with his three cats Chester, Molly, and Maya. Jayme also enjoys taking long road trips with his dog Duke.
Cathy Harvey, Educational Consultant
Cathy Harvey served as a full-time community college English instructor for 28 years before retiring two years ago; however, she is committed to continuing to support student learning. During her tenure as a college instructor, she devoted her career to serving students who struggled with reading and writing. In collaboration with her colleagues, she developed a comprehensive reading program that targeted reading deficiencies, offering a skills-based approach to enhance reading comprehension. Philosophically fundamental to student success is her continued belief that academic achievement is linked to intrinsic motivation. With that, she believes that struggling students achieve when offered literary works that are interesting, applicable and, most importantly, at or slightly above their reading level. She looks forward to continuing her work with students served through Reading Changes Lives Incorporated as the team seeks to support students to master the craft of reading.