Bishop Byron L. Smith Sr. is an Adjunct Professor in the Graduate School of Education and

Psychology at Pepperdine University, where he teaches graduate-level courses in

multicultural counseling, cultural humility, trauma-informed care, social justice advocacy,

and culturally responsive clinical practice. His teaching equips future behavioral health

professionals to combine academic excellence, ethical leadership, cultural responsiveness,

and evidence-informed practice in service to diverse communities.

A respected educator, behavioral health professional, pastor, nonprofit executive, and civic

leader, Bishop Smith has dedicated his career to advancing behavioral health, higher

education, faith-based leadership, restorative justice, and community engagement. He is the

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lifting3Veils, a nonprofit organization advancing

mental wellness, trauma-informed education, leadership development, restorative justice,

and community empowerment through education, consultation, and collaborative

partnerships.

He also serves as Program Director for Healing Invisible Wounds, leading

psychoeducational initiatives supporting military veterans, first responders, and their

families through trauma-informed education addressing post-traumatic stress, anxiety,

depression, grief, moral injury, and family reintegration.

Bishop Smith serves as an Executive Board Member of Empowerment Congress,

collaborating with civic, faith, healthcare, and nonprofit leaders to amplify community

voices, strengthen inclusive civic engagement, and advance equitable public policies that

benefit historically underserved communities.

For more than twenty-eight years, Bishop Smith has faithfully served in parish ministry. As

Senior Pastor in the Mid-West and currently in Los Angeles California, he has led

community vaccination clinics, food and clothing outreach, public schools and Church

partnerships, grief and loss educational trainings, “Know Your Rights” seminars supporting

immigrant families, partnerships with the Angel Tree program serving children of

incarcerated parents, and collaborative community initiatives including service on the

planning committee for the first phase of Jackie Robinson Park in Pasadena, California.

His clinical experience spans residential treatment, substance use disorders, co-occurring

mental health conditions, trauma recovery, crisis intervention, foster care, correctional

rehabilitation, and community behavioral health. He is a nationally sought-after speaker

whose presentations focus on multicultural counseling, trauma-informed leadership,

behavioral health equity, military and veteran mental health, restorative justice, grief and

loss, and faith and mental health integration.

His commitment to scholarship is reflected in his accepted peer-reviewed symposium

presentation as First Author at the 2026 Gerontological Society of America Annual Scientific

Meeting: “Faith, Advocacy, and Shared Responsibility: A Call to Eradicate Health Disparities

in Black and Hispanic Communities,” presented within the symposium “From NY to South

LA: Building Resilience, Partnerships, and Health Equity in Black and Latino Communities.”

Bishop Smith holds a Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, and Doctor of

Divinity. He is a Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) Practitioner and has

completed specialized training in Seeking Safety, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral

Therapy (TF-CBT), and other trauma-informed behavioral health approaches.

Whether teaching graduate students, mentoring clinicians, leading congregations, advising

nonprofit organizations, or collaborating with civic leaders, Bishop Smith remains

committed to advancing mental health equity, strengthening families, empowering leaders,

and building healthier, more resilient communities through education, scholarship,

advocacy, and compassionate service.

Selected National Scholarly Presentation

2026 – Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Annual Scientific Meeting

Accepted Peer-Reviewed Symposium Presentation

Presentation: Faith, Advocacy, and Shared Responsibility: A Call to Eradicate Health

Disparities in Black and Hispanic Communities

Symposium: From NY to South LA: Building Resilience, Partnerships, and Health Equity in

Black and Latino Communities

Role: Individual Symposium Abstract – First Author