Recovery is Real.

Driven by a compelling mission, my vision includes a society that embraces the transformative potential within each person, actively dismantling barriers to successful re-entry in the community.

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my story

“Because of my lived experience, I know recovery is real.”

Born on a farm in Alabama, I grew up with a determination to excel in everything I did.  At an early age, I lost my mother, and that set in motion a series of self-imposed events that would leave me incarcerated later on in life.

Overcoming those obstacles, I earned a Ph.D. and embarked on a successful career in higher education administration.

Today, I’m on a mission to globally educate and inspire individuals on the possibilities of recovery, both from mental health challenges and the trauma of incarceration.

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Milestones That Matter

Each achievement marks a chapter in Dr. Sandra D. Smith’s journey—from surviving the criminal legal system to transforming it. Click the + sign to learn more about her accomplishments.

Justice System Survival & Academic Ascent
  • Survived incarceration at Rikers Island and every women’s upstate prison in NY
  • Earned Ph.D. post-release in Human Services from Capella University
  • Served as onsite Dean and later regional Dean
International Leadership & Advocacy
  • Presented in Uruguay on reentry and mental health (invited by U.S. Embassy)
  • Developed and facilitated the first international reentry peer training oversight curriculum
  • Participated in Dubai panel discussion at Health 2.0 conference
  • Recipient of the International Leadership Award in Reentry from the National Association of Reentry Professionals (NARP)
Publishing That Reaches the Incarcerated
  • Author of “Choices”-first nonfiction by a formerly incarcerated African-American female, PhD; placed in every Texas DOC library
  • Created “Choices Workbook”; used in 96 U.S. jails via Paytel tablets (thousands completed)
  • Coined and trademarked “Thrauma” (trauma + threat), now a curriculum also in the United States in 96 jails
Health, Resilience & Purpose
  • Co-authored a funded $2.2M Federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant
  • Secured $700K annual St. David’s Foundation grants
  • Board member of the National Association of Reentry Professionals
  • Served as an author of the Libraries for Health Tool Kit developed for St. David’s Foundation
  • Chair of the National Peer Workforce Committee
System Change Through Peer Innovation
  • Created and trademarked the Reentry Peer Specialist (RPS) and International IRPS certifications in Texas
  • Secured funding from the Hogg Foundation to develop Reentry curriculum
  • Presented globally (including Dubai & Uruguay) on peer support models
  • Received the World Leadership Award and African-American Community Impact Award
Infrastructure & Workforce Impact
  • Authored Texas Workforce Commission Registered Apprenticeship program 
  • Secured Department of Labor approval for Registered Apprenticeship

I believe in:

Justice, not Judgment.

Your past mistakes don’t define you. I believe in fostering a culture that prioritizes understanding, compassion, and fair opportunities over harsh judgment.

Direction, not Discouragement.

I believe a clear sense of direction and purpose can help navigate difficulties and overcome discouragement. Resilience and perseverance are key to fighting discouragement. It’s important to maintain a clear vision and plan of the future to combat habits, uncertainty, and adversity.

Overcome through Optimism.

Mindset is everything. I believe that cultivating a positive outlook and belief in your abilities to overcome obstacles and your past will build strength and emotional intelligence.

official bio

Dr. Sandra D. Smith stands out as a truly exceptional and well-kept secret, embodying a remarkable example of “Recovery” within contemporary society. With a Ph.D. earned through dedicated research on support services, her dissertation gained recognition through dual publications with UMI and the esteemed German Scholars Press. Dr. Smith holds certifications as a Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist, creator of the Certified Reentry Peer Specialist program, and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Intern.

Her journey of non-traditional recovery is a testament to resilience, overcoming childhood thoughts of abandonment, battling process addiction, and surviving incarceration at the formidable Rikers Island in New York City. Dr. Smith’s professional experience includes roles such as Vice President, Peer Programs Manager, Associate Director of a Recovery Community Center in Dallas, TX, and esteemed positions as University Dean and Associate Regional Dean.

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Dr. Sandra D. Smith is a Thrauma® Strategist and international speaker dedicated to supporting formerly incarcerated individuals as they reintegrate into the community.

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