Smith Named New Director of UA Little Rock Health Services
Chanell Smith, a nurse with more than 20 years of experience, has been named the new director of Health Services at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
“I am so honored to be the new director of Health Services,” Smith said. “It’s a little challenging since I’ve never been in a role like this before, but I am looking forward to providing the best care for the UA Little Rock campus community.”
Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing and master’s degree in nursing science – family nurse practitioner, both from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Prior to UA Little Rock, she served as a registered nurse at the UAMS Medical Surgical Unit and Arkansas CARES.
“Chanell has been the backbone of Health Services for a long time, and we are all grateful she is in the leadership position for the department and the clinic,” said Sharon Downs, assistant vice chancellor for student affairs – wellness and inclusion. “She is an intuitive clinician, an ethical colleague, and a top-notch person. The university is fortunate to have her, and we look forward to a long and fruitful tenure with her as director.”
UA Little Rock Health Services aims to improve the health and wellness of the university community by providing inclusive evidenced-based, quality health care and wellness promotion to the university’s students and employees. Smith has been a staple at UA Little Rock Health Services since 2008, when she joined as a registered nurse. She was promoted to advanced practice registered nurse in 2020.
“I love working at Health Services, and I love working with the students,” Smith said. “We are different from a regular clinic because we have the advantage of doing a lot of patient education, which I feel is especially important for our college students who are leaving home for the first time. They are learning to navigate their own health care, and we get the chance to help them learn how to manage their own healthcare.”
A native of Hensley, Smith and her husband Casey have been married for 25 years and have three children – Jordan, Justyn, and Mia – and two grandchildren. Smith is also an avid reader and a sports fan of football, basketball, and softball.
