[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 132 (Monday, July 27, 2020)]
[Senate]
[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.

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