Heather Haynes Smith, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education at Trinity University. Dr. Smith teaches courses on special education, disability justice, learning disabilities, positive behavioral supports, and reading instruction. Her scholarship explores these fields, educator preparation, and the implementation of systems in these areas, namely the application of universal design for learning guidelines. She has worked as an elementary teacher, K–12 literacy coach, state-level reading technical assistance specialist, reading and teacher preparation program coordinator on research grants, and researcher.

Dr. Smith currently holds the Trinity Lubetzky Social Emotional Learning Faculty Research Fellowship and Trinity HHMI Inclusive STEM Faculty Fellowship and serves the Texas Education Agency (TEA) on a Standards Advisory Committee for Reading, Special Education, and systems in educator preparation.