About PATHWAY FAMILY SERVICES

Turning children’s lives around!

Our Leadership Team

Rick L. Smith, M.A.

Founder and CEO

Rick L. Smith, M.A.

Founder and Executive Director

Driven by a passion to serve neglected and abused children, Rick has provided foster care and adoptive homes for thousands of children in the California foster care system since 1993. He has a Master's Degree in Business Administration and more than 27 years of Executive Leadership experience in providing quality care for children in the foster care system. Rick is the founder/CEO of Pathway Family Services and serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. He and his wife, Jane have three adult children (who are married) and six amazing grandchildren.

Kevin Caudle, MA

Director of Administrative Operations

Kevin Caudle, MA

Director of Administrative Operations
kcaudle@pfsffa.org

Kevin joined the Pathway team at the end of 2022. He serves as the Director of Administrative Operations. Kevin has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership. Kevin joins the Pathway team with 30 years experience leading and building teams. Kevin is relational and loves people. Kevin has been involved in helping children and teens for many years. He worked with teenagers for 18 years and served on the board of Kinderhaven in Sandpoint ID. Kevin is husband to an amazing woman and father to four wonderful boys. He is passionate about helping people achieve their potential and live well, not to mention he’s a Las Vegas Raiders fan.

Tamira Lopez, MPA

Director of Social Work

Tamira Lopez, MPA

Director of Social Work
tlopez@pfsffa.org

Tamira Lopez became a part of the Pathway team in 2015. She serves as the Director of Social Work. Tamira has a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration and a Master's Degree in Public Administration. She has outstanding communication and relationship building skills and enjoys marketing and community partnership development. In addition to her many years of experience in management roles in a private foster care agency she has over 10 years of experience in Executive Leadership roles in other community-based non-profits. Tamira has a passion and commitment to see children and families thrive. She is a certified TBRI Instructor and is committed to providing excellent, caring and compassionate service to foster children and their resource families. Her ultimate goal is that children find healing and HOPE. Tamira is the proud aunt of 6 nieces and nephews.

Rebecca Colaw, MCP

Director of Adoption / RFA Program

Rebecca Colaw, MCP

Adoption Program Director
bcolaw@pfsffa.org

Becky serves as the Director of Pathway’s Adoption Program and Resource Family Evaluations Program or the Agency. She has a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology and more than 25 years of experience in both the private and public sectors of Child Welfare Services with approximately 12 of those years in adoptions. Her strengths are in communication and writing, and she enjoys training and orienting people to the foster care and adoptive process. Becky has been a part of the Pathway team since 2012 and she is committed to providing excellent services to adoptive families and is responsible for overseeing the work of the adoption social work staff in all the counties that Pathway serves. Becky is married, and she and her husband have four children.

Michelle Moses, MFT & MBA

Deputy Director, Central Coast Region

Michelle Moses, MFT & MBA

Deputy Director, Central Coast Region
mmoses@pfsffa.org

Michelle Moses became a part of the Pathway team in 2012. She serves as the Central Coast California Deputy Director our Santa Barbara & San Luis Obispo Counties services. She has Master's Degrees in Marriage & Family Therapy and Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology – Human Resource Management and has more than 10 years of substantial experience in serving adults with disabilities and co-occurring mental health disorders, drug & alcohol treatment and Foster Family Agency services as an FFA Social Worker, Social Work Supervisor. Michelle is a certified TBRI Instructor and is passionate about serving foster children and resource families; she enjoys the opportunity to contribute to bringing hope and healing to children and families through the mission and vision of Pathway Family Services.

Luci Green, MA

Deputy Director of Southern California

Luci Green, MA

Deputy Director of Southern California

Luci Green became a part of the Pathway team in 2015. She serves as the Southern California Deputy Director for our Riverside & San Bernardino Counties services. She has a Master’s Degree in Counseling and a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, and she has more than 15 years of rich background in Foster Family Agency services as an FFA Social Worker, Social Work Supervisor and Area Administrator. Luci is very positive, encouraging and contributes much professional knowledge and many leadership skills as a member of the Pathway leadership team.

Isabel Chavez, MC

Supervising Social Worker

Isabel Chavez, MC

Supervising Social Worker

Isabel Chavez is the Supervising Social Worker for the Bakersfield office. She has been a part of the Pathway team since 2013 and has served in her current position for the past 5 years. Isabel has a Master degree in Counseling from California State University Bakersfield and has many years of experience in working with at risk youth in the public school system and in the Kern County foster care system. She is a very positive and pleasant member of our leadership team and is greatly appreciated by those she serves. Isabel is married and is the proud parent of her beloved dog, “Maximus Bear”.

Laura Martinez, MSW

Supervising Social Worker

Laura Martinez, MSW

Supervising Social Worker

Laura A. Martinez first began working for Pathway Family Services in 2012. She has served as a foster care and adoption social worker, a home study writer, an RFA evaluation writer for the Pathway/Santa Barbara County contract, as well as an intern supervisor. She is excited to be a part of the management team as supervisor of home studies and Santa Maria FFA operations. Laura has a passion for helping children find forever homes. She loves to help protect those who are vulnerable and loves serving the children and families that Pathway works with. She is married to her husband, Jeff and shares his passion of self-defense.

Board of Directors

Rick L. Smith

CEO/Executive Director/Chairman of the Board

Raul Rodriguez

Local Mortgage Banker/ PFS Board Treasurer

Nathan Smith

Local Associate Pastor
Board Secretary

Kenny Davis

Board Member
CEO, Davis Group Real Estate

Renee Vinson

Board Member
Pastoral Staff, Canyon Hills Church

Randy Rankin

Board Member
Owner, Rankin Electric

Doug Pike

Board Member
Educator

Gail Bentley

Board Member
Principal of Del Rio High School

Jim LaMar

Board Member
Retired CEO of for Profit Corporation

Help make a difference today!

Helping some of the most vulnerable children in our community, youth of all ages who have been neglected and abused by their parents, or older youth/young adults experiencing homlessness.
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