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[Pages S4503-S4504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
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TRIBUTE TO DR. NATE SMITH
Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Dr. Nate
Smith, whose expert medical guidance and strong leadership will be
deeply missed following his departure from the Arkansas Department of
Health.
Dr. Smith launched his career with the Arkansas Department of Health
in 2009. His extensive medical background and dedication to the
department's mission allowed him quick advancement through the agency
ranks. He initially served as State epidemiologist and subsequently
served as branch chief for infectious diseases and deputy director for
Public Health Programs. However, Dr. Smith's more recent and notable
appointments to director and State health officer in 2013 and secretary
of health in 2019 presented him with even greater responsibility in
maintaining and protecting public health in the State of Arkansas. As a
member of Governor Asa Hutchinson's cabinet, Dr. Smith crafted and
implemented the State's response to the COVID-19 emergency. He has
worked diligently alongside the Governor's team to provide medical and
scientific reasoning for pandemic-related decisions. Dr. Smith's
commitment to the health and well-being of Arkansans has always been
evident. We are especially grateful for that commitment as he navigated
unprecedented times on behalf of our State.
Dr. Smith's distinguished career with the Arkansas Department of
Health comes after years of education and preparation, including over a
decade of comprehensive medical schooling, four degrees, and two board
certifications. After graduating from Rice University in 1986, Dr.
Smith claimed home to Texas and its classrooms for the next 10 years.
By 1991, Dr. Smith had earned two more degrees: a doctor of medicine
from Baylor College of Medicine and a master of arts from Dallas
Theological Seminary. In 1996, Dr. Smith earned a master of public
health from the University of Texas School of Public Health, focusing
on disease control. He completed two infectious disease fellowships at
Baylor College of Medicine before pursuing a degree in tropical
medicine and hygiene from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and
Hygiene in England.
What emerged as an area of interest for Dr. Smith in medical school
led to an expansive, acclaimed career in infectious disease medicine.
After years of education and training, Dr. Smith took his knowledge to
Africa at the height of the AIDS epidemic. While simultaneously serving
as a medical missionary with his wife, Dr. Smith worked at Kijabe
Hospital in Kenya in the roles as chief of internal medicine, medical
intern program director, and infectious disease consultant. He found
himself back in Kenya in 2006 under the direction of the University of
Maryland School of Medicine, this time working with the Kenya Institute
of Human Virology as a senior medical technical adviser and country
medical director.
His expertise in infectious disease is well-respected and has led to
his participation and leadership in several medical advisory groups.
Dr. Smith served as chairman of the infection control committee for the
Arkansas Department of Health, chairman of the Arkansas AIDS Drug
Assistance Program Formulary Advisory Committee, and chairman of the
Infectious Disease Policy Committee for the Association of State and
Territorial Health Officials, ASTHO. He sat on the National Vaccine
Advisory Committee for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
for several years before an appointment to the CDC Advisory Committee
on Immunization Practices. Further, Dr. Smith has published more
[[Page S4504]]
than 25 scientific papers with the majority citing infectious disease
studies.
It is clear that Dr. Smith's passion for service and selfless
dedication to public health has brought tremendous value to Arkansas,
its institutions, and, most importantly, its 3 million citizens. The
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is one such institution
that will undoubtedly feel Dr. Smith's absence, as he has held several
academic appointments alongside his career at the Arkansas Department
of Health. What began as a voluntary position in 2009 became a mainstay
endeavor for Dr. Smith. He has since held several professorships at the
university in the division of infectious diseases and the epidemiology
department. When Dr. Smith is not teaching, working or spending time
with his family of five, he can be found donating his time and service
to St. Andrew's Anglican Church in Little Rock, where he works with the
leadership team and missions team. His robust professional and
community impact have earned him the following awards: the Arkansas
AIDS Foundation's Compassion Award, the Arkansas Public Health
Association's Director's Award for Science, and the Living and Affected
Corporation's Distinguished Service Award.
I want to graciously thank Dr. Smith for his tireless commitment to
improving the health and wellness of Arkansans. I appreciate his
friendship and example for us all as a true public servant. His
transition to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is
bittersweet, and we are full of gratitude and pride for Dr. Smith and
his dedication to our State over the past two decades.
____________________