Meet the Team

The leadership and guidance for Smart Families.

Brian Kuzma

Co-Founder

Brian Kuzma

Co-Founder

Brian Kuzma is a co-founder of Smart Families with his wife Jennifer. He loves coaching sports for his two children. Brian was an engineer by training and now runs an asset management firm. He has been concerned with how commercial interests are increasingly disrespecting our innate human dignity and increasingly becoming reliant on manipulating our physiology (sometimes deliberately, but often not). The issue became personal as his oldest entered third grade and he saw parents hungry for leadership and often reluctantly succumbing to the peer pressure to give their child a smartphone.

He believes the consequences of improper information technology usage are predictable and disturbingly prevalent by eighth grade (cutting, depression and anxiety, smartphone and scrolling addiction, gaming addiction, and pornography addiction). However, there is hope. When the Kuzmas implemented a smartphone pledge at their school, they weren’t sure what the reception would be. It was the same that it will be at your school: overwhelming support!

Jennifer Kuzma is the co-founder of Smart Families with her husband Brian. Jennifer believes children today often have to grow up too fast and wants to help prevent them from being exposed to potentially harmful and addictive technology, including smartphones.

A former elementary school teacher, Jennifer is now an active volunteer at her church and children's school. After starting Smart Families at her children’s school, she wants to help other families and schools band together to create healthier, happier and safer communities.

Jennifer Kuzma

Co-Founder

Dr. Crystal Collier

Advisor

Crystal Collier, PhD, is a therapist, educator, author of The NeuroWhereAbouts Guide, and creator of www.KnowYourNeuro.org, and online prevention program. Her comprehensive prevention model, which teaches the neurodevelopmental effects of risky behavior to students, school staff, and families, was selected for the Prevention and Education Commendation from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

Dr. Collier received the Torch Bearer Award from the Texas Association of Addiction Professionals, Outstanding Research Award from the Association of Alternative Peer Groups, and voted Counselor of the Year by the Houston Counseling Association.

Advisor

Jarrad Bourger

Jarrad's greatest passion is being a husband and father to three children. He loves coaching, serving in his church, and investing in great friendships. This dedication to service is a fundamental aspect of his involvement with Smart Families, as it allows Jarrad to contribute to the greater Houston area. As a Christian, Jarrad believes God calls individuals to partner with Him to bring beauty into the world and to use available resources to help people flourish. Jarrad thinks technology is an excellent tool to execute this mission, but unfortunately, society is increasingly divided between naivety and cynicism regarding technology: the former risks harm through inadequate safeguards, while the latter restricts beneficial technology applications, which together impede human progress.

Beyond this dichotomy lies the mission of Smart Families: bringing wisdom to schools and parents to foster strong families that promote technology use that can benefit the world, rather than using it to turn inward and against ourselves. As an advisor, Jarrad utilizes his background in leadership, investing, and building technology to work alongside the Smart Families team in executing their mission.

Advisor

Jeff Matthews

Jeff Matthews is an inspirational leader with over 25 years of experience in international and American public, independent, and Catholic schools. Recipient of the 2024 Archdiocesan Leadership Award for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, he currently serves as Principal of St. Cecilia Catholic School (PK–8) in Houston, Texas. Under his leadership, St. Cecilia earned the National Blue Ribbon for Educational Excellence in 2022.

More importantly, Jeff and his wife are the proud parents of five children, ages 9 to 20. As a father of teenagers and pre-teens and a passionate school leader, he has seen firsthand how modern technology and smartphones are reshaping adolescent development, communication, and culture. His commitment to learning and spiritual formation led St. Cecilia to become one of the first schools to partner with Smart Families.

Jeff holds a Master’s in International Education, a Certificate of International School Leadership, and is pursuing an Ed.D. in Ethical Leadership. As an advisor, he brings deep experience in school and community leadership to support Smart Families’ mission of empowering families to engage with technology in a healthy, intentional way that is respectful of our innate human dignity.

Hillary Caceres

Executive Director

Hillary's professional career spans from helping build various start-up companies to the Marketing Director at the Alzheimer's Association, NYC and subsequently several years as a marketing consultant. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree Communications along with a citation in Spanish. As a mother of three young girls, she is always looking for ways to help guide them in healthy ways, both physically and mentally. She is an active volunteer in her church, school and community.

Dean Kovacs

Director of School Engagement

Dean isn't a Texan by birth, but after moving to the Houston area in 2019 with his wife, he quickly became a Texan by choice! He has spent several years working in Youth Ministry and has degrees in Environmental Science, Theology and Catechetics. He has a passion for service and building a better community. Dean is grateful to be a part of the Smart Family team and excited to spread its mission and goals. Dean also enjoys spending time with his family, being an outdoorsman, spicy food and, of course, coffee.

Sally Waterfield

Program Director

Sally Waterfield is from Warrington, England and earned her Bachelor of Art in Linguistics from the University of Manchester. Sally earned her postgraduate certificate in Education from the University of Chester and has spent 16 years teaching elementary aged children in both the UK and Texas. As a teacher, Sally has observed the impact of increasing exposure to screens within the classroom, noting the progressive change in students’ cognitive and emotional functioning. Sally is an advocate for empowering parents to reclaim, improve, and strengthen family relationships through embracing experiences that nurture and promote connection. Sally resides in Katy, Texas with her husband and 3 children, and is currently studying to become a Clinical Mental Health Counselor.