Welcoming Robin Smoot as Program Director for Cultivating a Legacy of Living Faith
Baptist Grove Church is pleased to announce the appointment of Robin Smoot, MBA, as Program Director for the Cultivating a Legacy of Living Faith grant initiative, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. Robin assumed this role in June 2025, and we are grateful for God’s provision in raising up a gifted leader from within our own congregation to carry this work forward.
A God-Ordained Appointment
In sharing the news with our grant partners, Executive Pastor Rev. Katrina Tatum expressed what many in our congregation already felt: “God was gracious to have a person planted within our congregation with the appropriate skills, talents, and passion to lead this work.” Robin’s appointment is not simply a hire—it is an answer to prayer. As the Baptist Grove Church community sought God’s guidance in identifying the right person to steward this important initiative, He directed us to someone already rooted in our fellowship and deeply committed to our mission.
About Robin Smoot
Robin brings more than 25 years of professional experience in business operations, program management, and organizational leadership across corporate, small business, and nonprofit environments. She holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from Franklin University and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from Miami University. Robin will embark on her seminary journey at Duke Divinity School in the Fall of 2026, pursuing a Master of Divinity.
Robin is the founder and principal of Robin Smoot & Company, LLC, where she provides business coaching and consulting to small and mid-sized organizations. Her career spans executive leadership roles in operations and corporate services across multiple industries, where she has overseen financial management, human resources, strategic planning, and marketing for both nonprofit and for-profit organizations.
Robin’s professional strengths align directly with the demands of this role: budget management and financial oversight, project management, process development and improvement, curriculum and program implementation, communications, and contract administration.
Her Role in the Grant Initiative
As Program Director, Robin will oversee all major activities of the Cultivating a Legacy of Living Faith initiative in alignment with the Lilly Grant Agreement. She will lead the design, implementation, and reporting of the program’s three core areas: congregational cohort recruitment and assessment, culturally-relevant curriculum development for Black and African American children, and intergenerational worship programming grounded in Scripture and developmental science.
Robin will also manage grant budget oversight and expense reporting, coordinate with the Grant Program Advisory Committee, oversee partner and vendor contracts, and represent Baptist Grove Church in the Strengthening Ministry with Children Coordination Program which oversees Lilly’s Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative.
A Heart for the Work
Beyond her professional qualifications, Robin carries a genuine love for God and for God’s people—and a particular passion for seeing children come to know and follow Christ. As Pastor Akinbinu has reminded us, “We are honored to do this work that will help further the development and maturation of disciples who will grow to lead the church of the future.” Robin embodies that calling.
We invite the Baptist Grove Church family and our grant partners to welcome Robin in this new chapter of ministry. Please keep her, the program team, and our partner congregations in your prayers as this work continues to move forward.
To connect with Robin or learn more about the Cultivating a Legacy of Living Faith initiative, reach out at cultivating@baptistgrovechurch.org.
