Sherri Lander Smith

Sherri Lander Smith, co-founder and owner of the Genius Center (a.k.a. GenieU), 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 administrator of a day school and "Trainer of Trainers" with the National Child Care Block Grant program, to founder/owner of Creative Learning Consulting Services, and a co 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 Art Camp ” at the Tandem Friends School.  She has consulted with numerous teachers & parents, hosted informal "Coffee Chat" study groups, tutored grade-school children, including E.S.L. students and those "at-risk" and currently offers her services as a school-to-work and college admissions advisor. 

"All Children Have Genius" Innovator
Like Buckminster Fuller, Marie Montessori, and Albert Einstein, Sherri promotes the belief that all children have genius. In 1987, she developed 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. As the program evolved it gave traditional teachers, early childhood professionals and homeschooling families the impetus to forego the conventional, one-size-fits-all approach to learning in favor of a customized approach, whether in a classroom or at home that is based on individual learning styles, readiness, and intelligences. Today, this one-on-one-learning is touted as of essential benefit to a child's education experience, 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 was deemed one of “Homeschooling's Top 10 Movers and Shakers” by nationally renowned Pearson Education, Inc.

Advocate and Community Leader
Having served in leadership with the Tarrant County Youth Collaboration, Fort Worth Association for the Education of Young Children, University Area Churches Association of Schools, Virginia Organizing Project, and Virginia Health and Environment Project, 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 advocacy roles with these organizations, most recently working to reduce indescriminent 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. The creator/author and facilitator of "Box City - Creative Cardboard Civics " © 1996-2014, a hands-on learning experience in civic responsibility and cultural awareness, Box City is an innovative program designed by Sherri to help children develop collaborative skills and a sense of civic responsibility as they work together to create a “city” out of cardboard.   Sherri also founded the Fossil Rim Rangers, an experiential 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
With a background as an artist, professional singer and a passion for all things creative, Sherri along with her husband Richard, operate“Azurat” which is dedicated to meeting a wide and ever broadening spectrum of artist’s needs.  From recording, producing and hosting events, raising funds and promoting awareness to helping artists develop their talents and business structures, Sherri works with people of all ages to encourage creativity and build community and economic stability around cultural ideals and artistic endeavors.  Sherri and 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 entrepreneur, married with two children. Their daughter is a classically trained dancer, owns a FX Make Up company, acts in TV & film and teaches dance. 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 business transformation, community health, artistic pursuits, and re-thinking education. With an emphasis on innovation and establishing ethical and trust-based business cultures, Sherri's clients range from education, corporate, and art and social reform organizations to groups and individuals pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors and creative careers in the arts & entertainment industries.  Sherri donates considerable services such as business, branding, marketing support and door opening relationships to burgeoning entrepreneurs and philanthropists.  As co-founder of Dream In You ®, partnering with Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine, Sherri launched the National Dream Job Contest.   Sherri currently serves at the Executive Director of the Artisans Center of Virginia, (ACV).  ACV is the official statewide organization for fine craft, representing craft artisans & agri-artisans (farms) in the Commonwealth of Virginia. ACV initiatives include the development of regional artisan trails, retail alliance building, and entreprenurial programming.

Features & Public Speaking

Sherri has written 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 speaker and seminar presenter at business conferences, self-empowerment workshops and arts & educational events as well as a strategic planning facilitator for the development of inidividual learning plans, non-profits & entrepreneurial enterprises. Working with a select portfolio of individuals and businesses, Sherri has created national promotions with entities such as The Grammy Foundation, Yahoo!, JetBlue Airways, Hilton, and Sharp.  She has been featured on the television shows In the Mind, and What’s Going On C’ville, in print and online magazines including New Dominion Magazine, Open Roads Magazine, Family Education Network, the Childcare Information Exchange, Homeschool.com, Forbes, and Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine.

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