Reginald “Reggie” Smith grew up in the Third Ward of Houston, Texas. After cycling through alternative schools and “at-risk youth” programs, he entered the juvenile justice system at sixteen and the adult system at seventeen. This began a twenty-year journey involving substance use, criminal justice involvement, treatment programs, and prison time. While in federal prison in Beaumont, Texas, Reggie remembered his grandmother’s words: “If it is to be, it begins with me.” He realized that change required extraordinary effort and committed himself to overcoming any adversity to achieve his goals and reach his full potential. Reggie has since earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MBA from Huston-Tillotson University. He served in various roles, including as a Policy Analyst for the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition and a Senior Advisor for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Since 2022, Reggie has been the Executive Director of Credible Messengers United. Reggie’s mission is to build community-based reentry support services to help individuals with criminal justice involvement and behavioral health challenges achieve their goals and reach their full potential.