For over 25 years, Reading Horizons has been revolutionizing the way people learn to read. Since 1984, Reading Horizons has developed and distributed software and teaching materials based on Charlotte Lockhart’s effective method, Discover Intensive Phonics for Yourself. This proven method has effectively taught students of all ages how to read with its interactive, stepwise, phonics-based approach. Beginning readers, students with learning disabilities, non-reading adults, and ESL students have all found reading success with Reading Horizons. Today, we continue to develop and improve upon the materials that make Charlotte Lockhart’s method increasingly assessable to students of all ages.
Watch this video to see how Reading Horizons employees feel about their company’s purpose:
Why are you passionate about working for Reading Horizons?
Tyson J. Smith, President of Reading Horizons, has guided the North Salt Lake-based company into becoming a national and international education publishing enterprise. Since its inception over 28 years ago, Reading Horizons has had a firm focus on its goal to publish and market industry-leading education products, centered on the Reading Horizons reading strategies. Tyson received his undergraduate degree in Business Management from the University of Utah and his MBA from Brigham Young University. He first joined Reading Horizons in 1998 as Executive Vice President with an emphasis in marketing and sales. He assumed the role as President of Reading Horizons in October 2001 and since that time has overseen steady sales growth and a myriad of improvements to the Reading Horizons line of products. Tyson has worked with thousands of educators across the world to help make dramatic improvements in literacy rates for their students. He has also presented at education and technology conventions throughout North America and Internationally.
Why does Tyson work at Reading Horizons?: “My motives for working here are entirely selfish. I love the feeling that I get when I talk to a teacher who says, “I can’t believe I didn’t know this; I’m so excited to put it to use!” I love hearing about students who have a new-found love of literature and whose grades have gone from C’s and D’s to A’s and B’s. I love the feeling I get working here with committed individuals who make me want to stretch myself to meet their standard. I love coming to work and feeling like we are doing something great and that we’re doing it the right way. So as you can see, it’s all about me. (Wow! That even rhymes.)”
- Company President and CEO, Tyson Smith
Alisha Thomas is the Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to the President at Reading Horizons. She also helps in the curriculum department and other areas of the company. She has been with the company for over 10 years. Alisha began with the company testing software and has moved through several departments during her time. Alisha studied social work at Weber State University during her first few years with Reading Horizons. She received her bachelor’s degree in that field and then took a year hiatus to attend a Master’s program. When she came back to work at Reading Horizons, she held a Master’s degree from Walla Walla College (University) in Social Work with an emphasis in mental health therapy. She currently holds a part-time job in mental health therapy on top of her full-time work at Reading Horizons. Alisha enjoys her alone time, reading her favorite books, watching Dr. Who, hiking in southern Utah, and spending time with family.
Why does Alisha work at Reading Horizons?: “I am making a difference in the lives of those we serve. I have personally seen the difference it makes in the life of a child who has always had problems reading, so I know what we do works. I also love talking with people about what we do because I see that they recognize the method and products as being unique and that the systematic instruction works with beginning and struggling readers. I also love working with the people here. They help me be a better person and to stretch myself to be even better.”
- General Manager, Alisha Thomas
Chad Wilson has worked in the development industry for more than sixteen years. During this time he has held several leadership and management positions working as a senior engineer, a product manager, and a research and development manager. Wilson has designed and developed multiple user interfaces, software applications, and consumer products with integrated software systems and in conjunction holds twelve U.S. patents with two applications pending. Wilson directs product development and IT systems administration for Reading Horizons.
Why does Chad work at Reading Horizons?: "I wanted to do something in my career that was meaningful and had a lasting impact, and Reading Horizons gives me that opportunity. I cannot wait to tell people where I work and what we do. We teach kids and adults how to read; we change lives. As the Chinese proverb says: "Read me a book today and improve my day; teach me how to read and change my life."
- IT Director, Chad Wilson
Heidi Hyte received her Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics and her Masters Degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Brigham Young University (BYU). She has taught English as a second or foreign language both domestically and abroad, including California, Utah, American Samoa, Africa, China, and Taiwan. She has also traveled to English schools in Fiji, India, Kiribati, Mexico, Samoa, Qatar, Taiwan, Tonga, and the United Arab Emirates to conduct EFL needs assessments and has taught several strategies workshops. Before joining the Reading Horizons team, Heidi taught Adult Education in Palo Alto Unified School District and worked as a full-time faculty member at BYU’s English Language Center (ELC) in Provo, Utah where she supervised the Self-Access Study Center (SASC) and the Listening/Speaking skill area. As a faculty member at the ELC, she created curriculum and assessments and taught reading, writing, listening/speaking, grammar, business English, and study skills courses to various levels of ESL students. In addition, she has conducted teacher training for TESOL minors and graduate students at BYU, created curriculum and taught an applied grammar and writing course to elementary education teachers in American Samoa for the University of Hawaii, and taught the Literacy Development in TESOL course at BYU to TESOL minors. On two occasions, Heidi was selected to be the in-field director of a Chinese legal English program in Guangzhou and Beijing, China on behalf of BYU and Temple University. She has conducted research projects in language learning, including studies that involve metacognitive language learning strategies and the effects of learner characteristics on language learning. She is a current member of the international association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Inc. and has presented her research at the international convention. She also served President of the Intermountain-TESOL (I-TESOL) affiliate from 2008-2009 and currently serves as Secretary on the I-TESOL Board. Her research interests include first- and second-language literacy and reading, language learning strategies, learner characteristics, pronunciation, and computer-assisted language learning. She joined the Reading Horizons team in 2006 and currently serves as the Curriculum Director and ESL Director overseeing curriculum development, training, and research.
Why does Heidi work at Reading Horizons?: "I work at Reading Horizons because I have the privilege of witnessing individuals’ lives change for the better. The nature of my chosen field is extremely service-oriented, and I feel that my job at Reading Horizons—helping people learn to read—falls right in line with that objective and desire to serve. I wake up in the morning feeling that I am making a difference, as meager as my individual contributions may be. Also, my job affords me an opportunity to stretch on a consistent basis, expanding my skill set and vision of my potential while feeling the satisfaction that my efforts are expended for a worthy cause. When the demanding nature of my job responsibilities sets in, the end users come to mind—those who I’m serving. I have witnessed the needs of these individuals being filled through my efforts. This realization encourages me to try even harder to "produce excellent-quality curriculum that fills expanding needs" as the Reading Horizons Curriculum Department mantra states."
- Curriclum Director and ESL Director, Heidi Hyte
Jonathan Diaz is the Marketing Co-Director/Webmaster at Reading Horizons. He graduated from high-school early with honors and entered the workforce at 17. One of his first jobs was at an engineering firm sketching piping schematics for Questar Gas. He was also asked to see what he could do with their website. This was where he gained most of his initial experience in web development. Throughout his years of college, he developed and worked on several websites for small businesses. By the time he came to work at Reading Horizons, he had over three years of web development experience with a solid foundation in HTML and CSS. In the past three-and-a-half years he has worked for Reading Horizons, he has acquired a deep understanding of a majority of the mainstream web technologies and practices, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, asp.net, SQL, Photoshop, SEO, analytics, social media, and much more, totaling over six years of web development experience. He considers it a great honor to serve on the marketing team and has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience.
Why does Jonathan work at Reading Horizons?: "I'm crazy passionate about working for Reading Horizons because I'm doing what I love—web design and programming—while changing peoples’ lives. Not everyone is as blessed as I've been to love what you do for a living while having such a tremendous impact on people. I get to use my skill set to empower educators to reach their students who struggle with reading, giving them a chance at a better future. I use my skill set to reach adults who haven't been able to find jobs because they can't read and fill out an application. This is why I'm so passionate about working for Reading Horizons."
- Marketing Manager and Web Developer, Jonathan Diaz
Angela Stevens is one of the Co-Marketing Directors at Reading Horizons. She has worked in the marketing department for three years, starting as the Public Relations Assistant. Angie earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the University of Utah in 2009, and has worked for Reading Horizons ever since. While working for Reading Horizons, Angie also completed an internship at a therapist’s office that specialized in a type of therapy called Neurofeedback. While working there, she was able to observe and monitor the progress of children and adults dealing with ADHD, depression, anxiety, autism, learning disabilities, and other conditions relating to brain development. Many of the children she monitored struggled with reading, and she was able to see first-hand the need for the foundational reading skills taught in the Reading Horizons methodology.
Why does Angie work at Reading Horizons?: "I am passionate about working for Reading Horizons because I know that we have the power to make a dramatic impact on the world for the better. I know Reading Horizons methodology gives every child the best chance at success when it comes to learning to read. I loved school and learning throughout my education (and still do), and it kills me that there are kids that don’t enjoy learning and school because reading is so difficult for them. I don’t want any child to feel like they don’t belong in the classroom. I want everyone to have the tools and skills they need to learn and progress and have a fulfilling, productive life."
- Marketing Manager, Angela Stevens
Rob Openshaw is the Sales Director at Reading Horizons and recently joined the company. He has worked in sales and sales management for over twelve years. During this time, he has been a top performing sales representative and manager, started his own sales company, and sold in a business-to-business as well as business-to-consumer setting. He holds a BS degree in Business Management with an emphasis in Finance, as well as an MBA from Brigham Young University. He brings his depth of experience, sales focus and intuition, and management capabilities to his position where he directs the sales and customer service effort of the company, including managing the inside sales team and third-party distributors.
Why does Rob work at Reading Horizons?: "Making a real, substantive, positive impact on people is extremely important to me, and that is why I chose to work at Reading Horizons. Not many people can say that they provide a basic skill that improves countless people’s lives, but I get that satisfaction every day. When I see the increased opportunities in the lives of our students, I know I’m helping improve a life, a family, and a society. With my background in sales management, I get to take our unique value to more people every day, increasing literacy and individual lives in the process."
- Sales Director, Rob Openshaw