Pastor Ray L. Smith was born and raised in Southeastern San Diego. Pastor Smith was an Associate Pastor at Mt. Erie Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Walter G. Wells for twenty-three years. Currently he is the Senior Pastor at United Missionary Baptist Church which he has served for the past eleven years.

Pastor Smith has faithfully served the 4th Council District championing causes for its greater good for over 35 years. It is fair to say that he is no “Johnny Come Lately” to serving this community with passion. Pastor Smith was the Executive Director of Triple Crown Youth & Adult Coalition, a program that provided training and jobs for at-risk youth and adults. Ray also created “High Hopes,” a community service provider re-entry program for the formerly incarcerated; assisting them in their transition back into the community as viable citizens.