Andrew Smith didn't apply for a job at Easterseals Arkansas. He showed up as an engineer for a managed service provider contracted by the organization at the start of the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020, did his work, got to know the team, and closely watched how the organization operated under pressure. Three years later, when the MSP relationship was ending and he had every reason to move on, he did something different.
He offered to stay.
"I felt drawn to the culture at Easterseals and wanted to continue contributing in a more direct way," he says.
For someone with 20 years of IT experience and plenty of options, that decision says something. Not about the job title or the salary. About the place.
The Road From Culinary School to Director of Technology
Andrew grew up just south of St. Louis in House Springs, Missouri, where he still lives today, about 10 minutes from the house he grew up in. He went to college with a focus on culinary arts. What happened next was mostly accidental. He stumbled into an IT Manager role for a regional telecom retailer, weighed the hours and the growth potential against a career in kitchens, and made a call. He kept cooking as a passion and built a career in technology instead.
It turned out to be a good trade. Over the next two decades he developed expertise across network systems, cloud services, cybersecurity, communications, end-user support, and software and application development. No single degree behind it. Just 20 years of continuous learning, hands-on problem-solving, and a long list of certifications earned along the way.
Making Technology Feel Like a Tool, Not an Obstacle
As Director of Technology at Easterseals Arkansas, Andrew's job is to make sure that the people delivering services to individuals with disabilities can do that work without technology getting in the way. That sounds simple. It rarely is.
"I am best at stepping into a difficult technology problem, breaking it down, and finding a path forward," he says. His coworkers would call him dependable and persistent, someone willing to dig into the details until something is working the way it should. "I try to make technology feel less like an obstacle and more like a tool that helps people do their jobs well."
In an organization where the mission is measured in the quality of care delivered to real people, that framing matters. Every system that runs smoothly is a therapist who can focus on a child instead of a login screen. Every process that works is a direct support professional who can spend energy on the person they're serving instead of the paperwork.
House Springs, Baseball Fields, and Home Projects
Away from work, Andrew is exactly who you'd expect: someone who can't stop building and fixing things. He spends his time with his partner and two sons, camping, working on projects around the house, and showing up at youth baseball and softball fields. He currently serves as vice president of a local youth athletic association and previously held the same role at the county level. He volunteers because he enjoys creating opportunities for kids and contributing behind the scenes to make programs work.
He is also, in his own words, deeply committed to caffeine. Non-negotiable.
One more thing worth knowing: to his nieces and nephews, Andrew is Uncle Dopey, a nickname that stuck after a childhood friend spotted him in a stocking hat that pushed his ears out like the dwarf from Snow White. He's a devoted Disney and Marvel fan and will tell you without hesitation that Stitch is the best character in either universe. For a man who spends his days untangling complex technology problems, it tracks that his favorite character is the one who causes delightful chaos and somehow always ends up exactly where he belongs.
What He Wants to Leave Behind
"I want to be remembered as someone who was dependable, helpful, and willing to step in when things were difficult." Andrew didn't have to stay at Easterseals Arkansas. He chose to, because the culture and the mission were worth it. That choice is its own kind of legacy statement.
Join a Team Worth Staying For
Andrew's story is a good example of what Easterseals Arkansas looks like from the inside. People come for a role and stay because of the mission, the culture, and the chance to do work that connects directly to something meaningful in the community.
Easterseals Arkansas serves individuals with disabilities across the lifespan, from premature infants in the High-Risk Infant Monitoring Program to adults building independence through supported employment and community living. The team behind that work includes therapists, educators, direct support professionals, administrators, and technology leaders, all operating inside an organization that has spent over 80 years becoming a cornerstone of disability services in Arkansas.
If you're looking for a place where your skills matter and the work is worth showing up for, explore current openings at eastersealsar.com or call 501-227-3600 to learn more.
