Dr. Martha Smith currently holds the position of Deputy Director at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System. She was appointed to this role on February 25, 2024, after serving as the Assistant Medical Center Director at the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. Dr. Smith, who is a Registered Dietitian, first joined the Veterans Health Administration in 2015 as the Chief of Nutrition and Food Services at the W.G. Bill Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury, North Carolina.
Prior to her work in the VA, Dr. Smith served in the United States Army as a commissioned officer for seven years, followed by two years in the Army Reserves. She had military assignments in Seoul, South Korea with the 65th Medical Brigade from 2012-2015, and at Joint Base Lewis McChord near Tacoma, Washington from 2008-2012. Dr. Smith has over 33 years of experience in both allied healthcare and direct practice, and in 2008, she was awarded a Doctor of Educational Leadership (EdD) from Eastern Michigan University.
In addition to her doctorate, Dr. Smith also holds a Master of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Eastern Michigan University and a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from Michigan State University. She is an accomplished speaker, published in multiple peer-reviewed publications, and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). In her free time, Dr. Smith enjoys traveling, swimming, playing the French horn, and spending time with her seven grown children and five grandchildren.