Meet the Reading Horizons
Executive Leadership Team
Tyson J. Smith
Chief Executive Officer
CEO of Reading Horizons, Tyson, has guided the Kaysville-based company into becoming a national and international education publishing enterprise. Since its inception nearly 40 years ago, Reading Horizons has had a firm focus on its goal to publish and market industry-leading education products centered on Reading Horizons' reading strategies. Tyson received his Undergraduate Degree in Business Management from the University of Utah and his MBA from Brigham Young University. He first joined Reading Horizons in 1998 as Executive Vice President with an emphasis in Marketing and Sales. He assumed the role of CEO in October 2001 and, since that time, has overseen steady sales growth and myriad improvements to the Reading Horizons line of products. Tyson has worked with thousands of educators worldwide to help make dramatic improvements in literacy rates for their students. He has also presented at education and technology conferences throughout North America and internationally.
Why are you passionate about working for Reading Horizons?
My motives for working here are entirely selfish. I love the feeling that I get when I talk to a teacher who says, 'I can't believe I didn't know this; I'm so excited to put it to use!' I enjoy hearing about students who have a newfound love of literature and whose grades have gone from C's and D's to A's and B's. I love the feeling I get working here with committed individuals who make me want to stretch myself to meet their standards. I love coming to work and feeling like we are doing something great and that we're doing it the right way. So as you can see, it's all about me. (Wow! That even rhymes.).
Trisha Thomas
President
Trisha Thomas joined the Reading Horizons C-Team to foster her passion for education and to help improve the teaching and learning experience for educators and students in classrooms. In her new role at Reading Horizons, Trisha brings over 20 years of experience in developing and executing revenue models that lead to an impact in K–12 education. Combined with her proven success in marketing strategies and customer experience at Discovery Education, Evan-Moor Educational Publishers, and Illustrative Mathematics, Trisha is looking forward to making quality reading instruction accessible to everyone. Trisha received her Business Management degree from University of Maryland and her MBA from Johns Hopkins University.
Why are you passionate about working for Reading Horizons?
I am passionate about my work at Reading Horizons because of the culture, people, and the focus on impact. I am inspired by the positive culture, the willingness and abilities of the people that we work with, and the impact we are making to teaching and learning. Reading Horizons offers a unique and effective instructional model that builds teachers confidence and helps all learners become capable lifelong readers.
Doug Bell
Chief Marketing Office
A 20-year SaaS and technology veteran, Doug has been instrumental in driving revenue growth across some of the world’s best-known brands and most nimble startups. A gifted strategist and storyteller, Doug is a hands-on leader who is passionate about unleashing the power of communities and brand advocacy and the wrap-around marketing mixes that drive sustainable long-term growth.
Why are you passionate about working for Reading Horizons?
In a world where mission-driven organizations are a dime a dozen, Reading Horizons truly lives and breathes its mission, down to a DNA level.
Brent Egan
Chief Operating Officer
Brent Egan joined Reading Horizons as a Project Manager over Internal Assets and is now the Chief Operating Officer. He brings over 15 years of professional executive leadership in operations with experience throughout various industries. Brent received his Finance and Business Administration degree from Weber State University and his MBA from Utah State University. Brent loves to spend time with his wife and four children, traveling, watching and playing sports, and being active and outdoors with friends and family.
Why are you passionate about working for Reading Horizons?
No matter where I've worked, I believe that enriching people's lives means something. No where else, has this rang more true for me. Our company core values of Purpose, Faith, Relationships, Integrity, Improvement, Recognition, and Fun resonate so strongly with me on a personal level and help provide the motivation I need each day to support all our amazing team players! Each day our culture is growing as each one of us endeavors to empower individuals with the gift of literacy to better prepare themselves to discover their personal worth and value as they take on the world and accomplish the challenges and tasks that we all face each and every day. Our mission is real, and the impact and confidence that we continue to share will change the world!
Brandon Kasteler
Chief Technology Officer
Brandon Kasteler is a culture-driven technology leader with more than a decade of experience building teams to become operational and process leaders. He holds an Information Systems and Technologies degree from Weber State University and has focused his career on building Agile technology teams that deliver impact.
Brandon is also passionate about spending time with his wife and two children outdoors, exploring the world in search of good food, and continuing to build his library of books.
Why are you passionate about working for Reading Horizons?
‘Building awesome things with awesome people’ has always been my career motto, and I get to do that here. Beyond that, we get to build awesome things that make an awesome impact on the lives of children, adults, and families everywhere. For me, that’s huge and is something I’m thankful for every single day.
Kedrick Ridges
Chief Product Officer
Kedrick Ridges is a craftsman, passionate team builder, motivator, creative thinker, designer, illustrator, and avid do-it-yourselfer. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual Communication from Weber State University, he leverages nearly 20 years of design and product experience ranging from branding and identity design to interaction and user interface design. He thrives on creative problem solving and loves creating simple, intuitive products and experiences that help people accomplish their goals—big and small.
Kedrick loves building things—bridges mostly 😉 —but also just about anything out of wood. He lives in Kaysville, Utah, where he raises backyard chickens and goats—in addition to eight remarkable children.
Why are you passionate about working for Reading Horizons?
Throughout my career, I have had the unique privilege of working almost exclusively with cause-oriented companies and clients, from higher education to faith and family. Reading Horizons is no exception. Our mission of cracking open the powerful potential inside each one of us through literacy is as noble a cause as any on Earth. We have the opportunity to truly change lives. That is exciting. That is motivating. And that is worth fighting for.
Dustin Bush
Vice President, Sales
Dustin Bush joins the Executive Leadership Team as Vice President of Sales. The son of two excellent classroom teachers, Dustin earned undergraduate degrees in Elementary Education and Public Relations from West Virginia Wesleyan College. He taught fifth grade in Dekalb County Schools, GA, before entering a career on the industry side of education. Dustin brings over 20 years of experience in Ed Tech, publishing sales, and sales leadership but he never lost the heart of the classroom teacher. Dustin has a Master of Theological Studies degree from Emory University and lives with his wife and three children in Zelienople, Pennsylvania.
Why are you passionate about working for Reading Horizons?
Effective instruction has the greatest impact on student learning; however, to be a great teacher is one of the hardest jobs there is. I am proud that Reading Horizons equips teachers with a proven method, engaging content, and professional learning to assist them as they create and strengthen readers. As a student, I was blessed with some amazing teachers, and so I work hard in my current position to make sure that future generations of students benefit from the gift of literacy.
Stephanie Myers
Vice President, Impact and Research
Stephanie Myers has a deep tenure in K–12 education. Stephanie has led the dissemination of instructional materials and professional learning to over 200 districts across the country. Previously, she served as Vice President of Human Capital and Operations with the Boys and Girls Clubs in Silicon Valley and as Executive Director of Talent Management for the San Francisco Unified School District. As Assistant Director of the American Federation of Teachers, Stephanie redesigned teacher development and evaluation systems. She began her career as a classroom teacher in Cleveland, Ohio, where she led a district instructional coaching program and earned National Board Certification. Stephanie holds a Doctorate in Education Leadership from Harvard University.
Why are you passionate about working for Reading Horizons?
I envision a day when all students in our 13,000 school districts experience reading success, and I believe Reading Horizons is a key arbiter in ensuring this happens.
Kiana Porter-Isom
Vice President, Implementation and Enablement
Kiana is a seasoned process and people-focused leader with more than 15 years of combined experience as an educator and curriculum services leader. She specializes in executing strategies for optimizing the experience educators have with curriculum publishers. Having completed a Master’s in Education, Kiana brings a balanced approach as she’s advocating for the educator’s needs while navigating the continued growth and sustainability of Reading Horizons. In her free time, Kiana enjoys time at the beach and fun times with family.
Why are you passionate about working for Reading Horizons?
What drives my passion for working at Reading Horizons is the belief that literacy is a fundamental right that should be accessible to all. Being part of an organization that is committed to eradicating illiteracy inspires me to work towards this noble cause.