Our Team

Our Founders

Tyson Smith

Tyson Smith

Dr. Ann Sharp

Dr. Ann Sharp

Heidi Sonnenberg

Heidi Sonnenberg

Carol Solomon

Carol Solomon

Our Directors

Laura Axtell

Chairman of the Board

35 years experience working with struggling readers and English language learners, state coordinator for the America Reads Program, Tutor for RISE, Masters Degrees in Special Education and Counseling and host of the educational podcast, “Podclassed”

Tyson Smith

Board Member

President of Reading Horizons (an international publishing enterprise), founder of nonprofit RISE Institute for Literacy, Bachelors Degree in Business Management from University of Utah and MBA from BYU, expert in the literacy field for over 20 years

Aaron Lund

Board Member

Managing partner with Bangerter, Lund & Associates, licensed CPA, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting from Utah State University and a Master of Professional Accounting in Tax from Weber State University

Our Staff

Michelle Gibby

Education and Operations Manager

Michelle is a former Elementary School Teacher, Literacy Coach, and Administrator. She has a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education from Weber State University, and a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from Brigham Young University.

Angie Smith

Tutoring Center Support

Angie lives in Kaysville, Utah and is a wife and the mother of 5 children.  She was part of a humanitarian effort in Thailand and India that taught teachers effective English teaching methods.  Angie is an expert tutor, having volunteered as a tutor for the past 10 years.

The RISE Institute for Literacy is a non-profit organization that strives to build a path to sustainable literacy in our community, across the country, and throughout the world.

Our Donors


W. MACK & JULIA S.
WATKINS FOUNDATION