Sherri Lander Smith

Sherri Lander Smith, the co-founder and CEO of the Genius Center, is a synergistic motivator for positive change utilizing her extensive background in education, practical business experience, and super-abundant energy with every project she encounters. Viewing personal growth as a life-long process of questioning and discovery, Sherri is dedicated to helping others realize their unique gifts and talents, and empowers them to seek innovative solutions that support creative learning and sustain the work they love. 

Educator
From Day School Administrator and Trainer of Trainers with the National Child Care Block Grant program, to Founder/CEO of Creative Learning Consulting Services, and Producer of the National Rethinking Education Conference, Sherri has worked with numerous educational and community organizations including the Michael Carrera pilot program – Project HOPE, Tarrant County Youth Collaboration, Live Arts Theatre, and “Spectrum” at the Tandem Friends School.  She hosts an informal "Coffee Chat" study group program and continues to tutor grade-school children, including E.S.L. students and children at-risk.  She is a much sought after senior academic and college admissions advisor. 

"All Children Have Genius" Innovator
Like Buckminster Fuller, Marie Montessori, and Albert Einstein, Sherri Smith promotes the belief that all children have genius. In 1987, she developed the Creative Learning Works, which provided workshops and coaching to help parents honor their children's unique talents and gifts through a personalized approach to learning. Sherri's program gave homeschooling families the option to forego the conventional, one-size-fits-all approach to learning for their children, in favor of a customized education at home – one based on individual learning style, readiness, and intelligences. Today, this one-on-one-learning is touted as one of the biggest benefits of homeschooling, and is considered a catalyst for homeschooling's explosive growth. Sherri's strategies are the core of The Genius Center , offering a personalized coaching service that equips and empowers parents to help their children excel by developing their unique talents and gifts whether they attend school in private, parochial, public, or home settings. For her extensive contribution to the homeschooling movement, Sherri is deemed one of “Homeschooling's Top 10 Movers and Shakers” by nationally renowned Pearson Education, Inc.

Advocate and Community Leader
Having served as an advocate and executive board member with the Virginia Organizing Project, and Director of the Virginia Health and Environment Project for over 7 years, attests to Sherri's dedication to challenging injustice by empowering people in local communities to address issues that affect the quality of their lives.  She has served in leadership and advocacy roles with the Fort Worth Area Association for the Education of Young Children, Tarrant County Youth Collaboration, University Area Churches Association of Schools and the Virginia Health and Environment Project which seeks to reduce pesticide use, especially in schools and areas where children's health and learning potentials might be affected.

Real-World Learning
Sherri seeks creative ways to involve children in real-life-learning. Currently the creator and facilitator of "Box City" a hands-on learning experience in civic responsibility and city planning for children grades 1-5, at the Tandem Spectrum Program in Charlottesville, Virginia, she also founded the Fossil Rim Rangers, a hands-on children's project at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, Texas that funded and built a herpetarium and learning center. Sherri founded the Butterfly Buckaroos, an award-winning children's project at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge which continues to provide children with the opportunity to do authentic fieldwork while studying and encouraging butterfly habitats.

Let's Get Personal
Sherri and her husband Richard have been married since 1981 and are the parents of three grown children, each of whom are pursuing their passions in life! Their oldest son is a successful businessman, married with two children. Their daughter teach at a private school while pursuing a college education and career in dance and the performance arts. Their youngest son is a professional musician and producer of music. 

Business Innovator and Transformation Architect

Sherri owns and operates Lander Creative, LLC which is dedicated to encouraging and promoting projects and programs related to re-thinking education, community health, artistic pursuits, and business transformation. With an emphasis on innovation and establishing ethical and trust-based relationships, Sherri's clients range from education, corporate, and social reform organizations with national interests to groups and individuals pursuing a wide variety of careers and aspirations. She is co-founder of the consulting firm Dream In You, which helps adults create their dream jobs or businesses and provides guidance to a select portfolio of businesses in the United States.

Features & Public Speaking

She has been featured on the television show In the Mind and in print and online magazines, producing numerous articles and online workshops at The Genius Center and Homeschool.com.  She is a contributing writer in the books “Helping Parents Understand” (NAEYC, 1996), “Homeschooling for Success: How Parents Can Create A Superior Education For His Child” (Time Warner, 2002) and What the Rest of Us Can Learn from Homeschooling (Three Rivers Press, 2003). In addition to consulting with numerous families on customizing education and college preparation, Sherri is a featured presenter at educational seminars and conferences as well as a strategic planning facilitator and developer of individualized learning programming for educational organizations, families, children and youth. 

Contact Sherri to speak at your next event: Contact@GenieU.com