FIS Welcomes LaToya Smith as Senior Curriculum and Training Associate
Families In Schools (FIS) is delighted to welcome LaToya Smith as Senior Curriculum and Training Associate. LaToya brings a deep background in curriculum design, facilitation, and adult learning with almost two decades of experience working with students and a strong focus on community voice and research-based practice for real-world impact.
She will help guide the design and facilitation of our curriculum, early literacy programs, and fee-for-service work, strengthening how we support families and educators across the state. She will also co-facilitate workshops and trainings and maintain quality control on materials to ensure our work is relevant, researched, and culturally responsive.
“LaToya joins our team at a moment when our work is expanding, and her leadership arrives like momentum. She brings creativity, compassion, and a vision rooted in community. I’m inspired by her commitment and grateful for the energy she will bring to our collective work.”
— Ashley Johnson, Director of Training and Capacity Building at FIS
“I’m thrilled to welcome LaToya and know she will play an essential role in strengthening the learning experiences we offer to families and educators statewide. Her strengths in curriculum design and instructional practice will deepen the quality of our services and help us meet the growing demand from districts and community partners as we expand our training portfolio and fee-for-service offerings.”
— Azucena Hernandez, Executive Vice President of FIS
Please join us in warmly welcoming LaToya Smith to the Families In Schools team.
LaToya Smith
LaToya Samantha Smith was born in Nassau, Bahamas, and raised in Delray Beach, Florida, in a household that valued resilience, culture, and education. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Bethune-Cookman College and began her career as a humanities instructor at her former high school.
For nearly two decades, LaToya has taught and advocated for At-Promise students across Florida, Maryland, and California. As both an educator and curriculum writer, she has developed culturally responsive, literacy-centered materials for students in grades 1–12, always with a focus on access, identity, and belonging. She is also a writer with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Lindenwood University. Her work explores parenthood, identity, and social justice.
As the Senior Curriculum and Training Associate at Families in Schools, LaToya intends to support the organization’s mission by designing high-quality learning experiences that strengthen connections between families, schools, and communities. She is committed to advancing equity through instruction that honors students’ lived experiences and empowers families as partners in their children’s learning.
LaToya is the author of several works, including a children’s book, a guided journal for mothers, and a contemporary novel. Across all her roles, she remains guided by the belief that strong learning communities grow from culturally affirming spaces where students and families feel seen, valued, and supported.