Dr. Valerie Smith is a Master of Public Health Student at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. While not pursuing academia, Dr. Smith practices at St. Paul Children’s Medical Clinic as a pediatrician. Additionally, she recently co-authored a chapter, Leadership and Advocacy: Complementary Roles to Create Change, for the third edition of the textbook Leadership for Health Professionals: Theory, Skills, and Applications.

Dr. Valerie Smith receives the 2019 W.T. “Doc” Ballard Award

The Northeast Texas Public Health District congratulates Dr. Valerie Smith, recipient of the 2019 W.T. “Doc” Ballard Award for Excellence in Public Health. NET Health presented Smith with the award at its board of directors meeting Thursday.

The “Doc” Ballard Award is NET Health’s highest accolade for outstanding service that contributes significantly to the enhancement of public health. “Doc” Ballard, a registered professional engineer for the Texas Department of Health and mentor to NET Health, was a leader in protecting the health of the public. His expertise and administrative skills ensured the environmental controls crucial to the quality and safety of public drinking water and public food service, proper disposal of waste, and the monitoring of radiation.

Smith has served the children of East Texas for the past 12 years as a pediatrician at the St. Paul Children’s Medical Clinic. She received her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and completed her pediatric residency at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, where she developed an interest in child health advocacy and established a community education program for all-terrain vehicle safety.

Through her work on the Fit City Tyler Steering Committee, Smith brought the Fit City 5-2-1-0 Program to Tyler ISD and Whitehouse ISD, educating teachers, students and parents about healthy habits that promote lifelong health. As co-chair of the Texas Pediatric Society Committee on Nutrition and Health, she led the “Be Our Voice” childhood obesity advocacy training program, implementing evidence-based policies to improve children’s health across East Texas.

Her experience working with children with chronic health problems, families struggling with poverty and children in foster care motivated her to dedicate her time and efforts to reducing obesity and food insecurity, and improving health care for children in foster care. Smith has made an indelible mark, not only as a caring pediatrician, but also for her efforts to eradicate the conditions that create disease, making wellness available to each child, no matter where they live.

Most recently, Smith has focused on the issue of food insecurity and educating the community on its connections with health. In 2018, she founded the Smith County Food Security Council, a local multi-sector coalition dedicated to reducing hunger and improving health in our communities through increased screenings and interventions for food insecurity.

Judges for the selection of the annual “Doc” Ballard Award include two members of the NET Health Board of Directors, its chief executive officer, one person each from the Texas Department of State Health Services Region 4/5 North and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office in Smith County.

NET Health is thankful for the support from the East Texas chapter of the Texas Environmental Health Association for its contributions toward the annual recognition of the “Doc” Ballard Award. The awards ceremony included recognition of the members of the Ballard family, Smith’s coworkers from the St. Paul Children’s Medical Clinic, members of the NET Health Board of Directors, the NET Health Leadership Team and Smith’s family members.

Article from the Tyler Morning Telegraph.

Story by Terrence Ates, NET Health Public Information Officer.

Photograph from Tyler Morning Telegraph. (Courtesy)

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