My name is Tiffany Smith, I was born in Tampa Fl, in 1974, and I am a thirty-three year old daughter of a retired City of Tampa police officer, my father, and a caterer, my mother. I grew up in a loving household with my two sisters, a step brother, and step sister.  My formal education was through Hillsborough County Public Schools where I am an alumnus of Armwood High School.  I studied office management skills, played basketball, ran track and field, and was a cheerleader with the City of Tampa Park and Recreation Department.  I am a single mother of an eight year old daughter who I am raising in a loving, supportive, and positive environment.  She was my inspiration to enter into the early childcare field, because I wanted to be actively involved in her development. 

In November of 2000, I became a two year old teacher at Tampa United Methodist Center-Rosa Valdez center.  While working as a teacher, and hostess at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, I attended Henry W. Brewster Technical Center, where I earned my Child Development Associate Equivalency on May 25, 2001.  My education continued at Nova Southeastern University where I completed Administration of Child Care and Education Programs, receiving the State of Florida Director Credential on December 30, 2002.  Once I received my director’s credential I was promoted to Assistant Manager of the Rosa Valdez Early Intervention Center Tampa, Florida.  While functioning as the Assistant Manager, I saw there was a need for a Family Support Coordinator, and seeing the opportunity for further personal professional development, and enhancement of the program, I accepted the dual role as Assistant Manager and Family Support Coordinator. 

In 2005, I became the Manager of Cuscaden Center and the Program Manager of Tampa United Methodist Summer Enrichment Program leaving me for a second time, to tackle a dual responsibility.  In these positions, I hired, trained and monitored staff, as well as implemented the curriculum programs, mentored staff, and managed the overall operations of the program. Realizing that an audience of my colleagues and acquaintances regard my contributions, and embrace my leadership, I was able to apply that positive energy and put forth the effort, and achieve the title of Early Literacy Matters Director of the Year 2008.  My aspirations to continue to raise the bar is exhibited by the high level of expectations placed on each child by providing qualified and professional individuals whose first priorities are the children for whom they provide care, as well as my obligation to both parents and staff to create an “in-sync” relationship between the two entities.

I embrace the old proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”, and I hold fast to that belief. To expound on the adage, I understand that my involvement with creating and utilizing networks and resources for each child, comprises moms, dads, caregivers, and the community which all have an influence on creating a thriving, educated, and happy child. A child in this type of environment is the genesis for tomorrow, and in hind sight, that has begun with me. I realized an accomplishment in myself (not just a dream) when a child came to me as an infant, left at two years of age (on a sound foundation) and returned, nearly at the age of six (from being educated in a private sector), still demonstrating the basis of what was instilled in her from the beginning. Since I knew the mother, the father, the uncle, and the grandmother, it allowed me to effortlessly re-establish and create a developmental hierarchy for her.  In the future, I will continue to purse my Associate in Arts Program for Early Childhood Management, commit to professional development, and developmentally appropriate practice for children and families in our program.