About Me
Kara Smith is the Founder and Educational Advocate behind Meridian Navigation Partners. With professional experience in special education, instructional leadership, literacy intervention, behavior support, and family advocacy, Kara brings both expertise and personal understanding to families navigating complex educational decisions.
Kara currently holds a Virginia Teaching License in Special Education – General Curriculum K–12, valid through 2035, and is pursuing Florida licensure through military spouse reciprocity. She earned her degree in Special Education from the University of Tennessee at Martin in 2005 and completed student teaching placements at both the elementary and middle school levels before beginning her teaching career in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Over the course of her career, Kara has supported students across a wide range of educational settings, grade levels, and learning profiles. During the past four years in Fairfax County Public Schools, she has primarily served students in Kindergarten through third grade while supporting IEP development, compensatory education recovery services, local screening and eligibility processes, behavior intervention planning, and collaborative problem-solving for students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kara regularly facilitates and supports IEP meetings in collaboration with school administration and multidisciplinary teams. She has trained staff in IEP development, progress monitoring, data collection, instructional planning, and compliance-based educational practices. She has also served as a mentor to novice special education teachers and as a Professional Development Facilitator supporting new educators within Fairfax County.
Her experience includes supporting students with ADHD, Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), Autism, Other Health Impairments (OHI), Intellectual Disabilities, Emotional Disabilities, Vision Impairments, and rare medical or genetic conditions, including Koolen De Vries Syndrome. Kara has developed Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBAs), Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIPs), and worked with students across a variety of placements and Least Restrictive Environments (LREs). She is MANDT trained and well versed in trauma-informed educational practices and de-escalation strategies.
Kara completed the IMSE Orton-Gillingham Comprehensive Plus training and IMSE Phonological Awareness training in 2022 and has implemented structured literacy intervention with fidelity in her instructional practice. She currently serves on the Cardinal Forest Elementary School Literacy Team and has hosted instructional observers from across the region to model Tier 3 reading intervention practices.
In addition to her educational work, Kara previously served as an Adaptive & Inclusive Trainer in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she launched and led a community-based adaptive fitness program designed to increase access and inclusion for individuals of all abilities.
Kara has received multiple recognitions for her instructional leadership, advocacy, and service to students and families, including:
• 2025–2026 Cardinal Forest Elementary School Outstanding Teacher
• 2025–2026 West Springfield Pyramid Outstanding Teacher
• 2022–2023 SEPTA Outstanding Special Education Teacher Nominee
• 2025–2026 Mentor, Novice Special Education Teachers
• 2024–2026 Crisis Response Team Member
• 2024–2026 Professional Development Facilitator
• Instructional Model Classroom Host
• Founding Contributor, Purple Star Club
• Shield of Sparta Award Recipient for volunteer service and support to military families
Kara’s passion for special education began long before becoming a teacher. Her older brother, Michael, has an intellectual disability and epilepsy and remains the inspiration behind her lifelong commitment to supporting individuals with disabilities and the families who advocate for them.
She also understands educational systems from the parent perspective. Kara and her husband are the parents of three children, and both of their sons have received support through 504 Plans. Navigating those systems personally has deeply influenced the way she approaches collaboration, communication, and advocacy with families.
Kara and her husband have been married for 20 years after meeting as teenagers at Fort Campbell High School as fellow Army children. Throughout their 20-year military lifestyle, they relocated frequently across the United States while continuing to serve military communities and families. During that time, Kara volunteered extensively within Family Readiness Groups (FRGs), supported military families navigating difficult transitions, and assisted wounded soldiers and families at Walter Reed Medical Center.
After 20 years of military life and service, Kara and her husband are relocating to Brevard County, Florida, where they are excited to establish long-term roots and continue serving families through Meridian Navigation Partners. Together, they founded Meridian as a woman- and veteran-owned business dedicated to helping families navigate school systems with clarity, strategy, and confidence.
Kara believes families deserve more than information — they deserve a trusted partner who can help them understand options, create a clear plan, and move forward feeling supported and empowered.