User:Keyonda Smith

Dr. Keyonda Smith (born April 29, 1980) is the founder of The Animal Science Institute. At 27, she also holds official board member positions on the Association of Veterinary Health Professionals, Support For Paws , and The Universal Women of Richmond. Dr. Smith is a lifelong animal rights advocate participating in campaigns against animal cruelty involving factory farm animals. With her sometimes extreme measures of voicing animal rights, Dr. Smith has become known for her boisterous antics, flyer distributions, letters to Senators and community activism.

Early Life
Dr. Keyonda Smith was born in Camden, New Jersey. The second child to Edith and Darry Smith and sibling of Elonda Smith, 2 years her senior. Her mother and father relocated from King & Queen County, Virginia to obtain employment at the Campbell Soup factory in Camden in 1977. Shortly thereafter, her father, Darry, seperated from her mother and returned to King & Queen County, leaving his two daughters, Elonda and Keyonda, in New Jersey with their mother. Her mother developed a love for the casino's during the 1980's which lead into behaviors that their father, now remarried, was not in favor of. Dr. Smith and her sister, Elonda, relocated from Camden, New Jersey to Virginia permanently in 1992. Edith gave birth to a 3rd child in 1993, Tyrone Smith.

During Dr. Smith's teenage years she lived with multiple family members and at times having no where to live. In 1996, at the age of 16, Dr. Smith flew herself to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to join a program for troubled but gifted teens. Dr. Smith was introduced to the program by a high school guidance counselor and being it was a residential program, it gave her an opportunity to have a home and continue her education.

Partially finishing the program in 1996, Dr. Smith was ready to return home. Her father, Darry, refused to give the program administration permission to return his, then minor, daughter back to Virginia. Without permission, Dr. Smith borrowed $100 from a friend and purchased a bus ticket back to Virginia from Pittsburg with no more than a backpack and a sandwich. Upon arrival back in Virginia, she lived from house to house for a while before moving to Richmond, Virginia with her boyfriend at the age of 17, enrolling into Henrico High School, and graduating in the top percentile of her class.

After high school, Dr. Smith enrolled in a traditional university, finishing with an online distance learning program in 2002, earning a Bachelors in Business Administration with a concentration in Organizational Behavior. After graduation, Dr. Smith relocated to the United States Virgin Islands to study Gemology. She obtained her studies through Diamonds International. Upon her return to the States, she married a U.S. Naval Petty Officer and moved to Jacksonville, Florida in 2003 to only seperate one month later and divorce shortly thereafter. After her divorce, now age 23, she became pregnant by Gary Harvey with a son, Jacoby Harvey. Jacoby died immediately after birth due to anencephaly.

After her son, Jacoby's, death in 2004, Dr. Smith relocated to Washington, D.C. and enrolled into a Post Doctorate extension program with Purdue University and Reading University. Dr. Smith graduated with a Ph. D. in Animal Science with a concentration in Ruminant Nutrition in 2007.

Career and Success
2002 - Dr. Smith self-published Urban Cliche. An urban mini magazine focusing on music and local events.

2003 - While living in Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Smith opened Sister's Beauty Supply and Salon. Which was sold to Deborah Brown in 2005 and currently is still in operation.

2005 - Joining Heleen Williams, Black Business Networking was developed. The company was handed off to Heleen solely and changed to Elite Connections in 2006.

2007 - Dr. Smith is the Director and founder of the Animal Science Institute which gives certificates for Laboratory Animal Enrichment, Animal Facilites Management, and Animal Care Worker.

She is the acting president of the Universal Women of Richmond, a Richmond, Virginia based women's group that focus's on social development, female economic empowerment and community activism. She also sits on the board of the Association of Veterinary Health Professionals and she's the founder of the nonprofit, Support For Paws.

With many animal and human rights ventures in the works, Dr. Smith states, "I'm hoping to speak for those who cannot speak, I'm ultimately seeking to be their voice".

Personal Life
Relatives

Dr. Smith's sister, Elonda Smith is married to Michael L. Jones. They have been married for 10 years in 2009 with 6 children. Elonda Smith is 30 years old and the CEO of Edith's Home Decor in Richmond, Virginia.

Dr. Smith's father, Darry, and mother, Edith, still reside in King & Queen County, Virginia, living less than 10 minutes from one another. They were never able to reconcile after their seperation in 1981.

Romance

After the death of their son, Jacoby, Dr. Smith and Gary Harvey eventually seperated in 2004. She returned to D.C. Dr. Smith continues to be single in 2007.