Jason was introduced to the disability movement at a very early age. His older brother Christopher was born with Down syndrome and was the inspiration behind Jason’s desire to serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. At the age of 8 years old, Jason began raising money for various disability service agencies by performing alongside his talented father, Glenn Smith. Jason performed on the main stage of Caesar’s Palace, The Las Vegas Hilton and Tropicana Hotel as well as numerous telethons that aired nationwide both in the USA and in Canada and helped raise millions of dollars as a result.
Jason stayed on the non-profit career path working with agencies that his brother could benefit from. Jason was a Thrift Store Manager and Sales and Marketing Manager for Opportunity Village, a Resource and Development Officer for the Down Syndrome Organization of Southern Nevada, then became the Executive Director for Variety The Children’s Charity of Southern Nevada before finding a home at Best Buddies Nevada to humbly serve as it’s State Director.
Jason’s personal life goal has been to see a day where Nevada is no longer at the bottom of the pile regarding its services, funding and volunteerism to people with disabilities. Jason believes without a doubt that Best Buddies is the vehicle for that change. Best Buddies addresses the root of this issue by building a community of inclusion, changing the social dynamic that currently plagues people with disabilities into the severe isolation they face. Jason knows that his brother Chris will benefit most from giving his environment a social makeover, educating and creating a true sense of care and understanding of Chris’s unique qualities.
Jason is proud to lead the Best Buddies movement in Nevada and is fueled by love for his brother and the admiration for the Best Buddies Founder and CEO, Anthony Kennedy Shriver. Jason and his family have long admired the Kennedy/ Shriver family for their tireless efforts of making life better for people like his brother and is grateful to play a role in Anthony’s legacy.
