Kayla Smith, PhD, LCSW, is the founder of Helen’s Project, a telehealth behavioral health nonprofit based in Texas, dedicated to providing accessible, culturally responsive mental health care to underserved communities. With deep expertise in trauma-informed practice, clinical supervision, and social work systems, she leads the organization’s clinical operations, regional expansion, grant strategy, and workforce development across multiple states.

Kayla is passionate about breaking barriers to mental health access through innovative models like Helen’s Project’s Heal It Forward sliding-scale program and one-call access design. Her work centers equity, cultural responsiveness, and community-driven care at every level — from direct service delivery to organizational infrastructure.

A dynamic speaker and educator, Kayla has presented on culturally responsive, trauma-informed care at national conferences including NASW-WA. She brings a social justice lens to nonprofit leadership and is committed to building pipelines for clinicians from underrepresented communities. She is actively expanding Helen’s Project’s reach into new markets across Texas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Michigan, and beyond.