Valerie Romero-Leggott, MD, vice president for The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center’s Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (HSC DEI), is pleased to announce Lindsay Smart, PhD, as the new HSC DEI Associate Vice President for Operations & Strategic Initiatives.
“Dr. Smart has demonstrated a profound commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion over the past 15 years across UNM, UNM Health and Health Sciences, regionally, and nationally,” said Romero-Leggott. “She is highly respected for her strong interpersonal and communication skills, effectively engaging a wide range of constituencies. With extensive experience in our clinical, educational, and research missions, she brings proactive leadership, strategic vision, and a deep awareness and appreciation of New Mexico’s climate and culture.”
Smart is an associate professor and clinical psychologist in the UNM School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. In her prior leadership role in the HSC DEI, she served as the associate vice president for leadership and faculty equity and inclusion.
I am delighted to accept the position as associate vice president for operations and strategic initiatives in the UNM HSC DEI. I am looking forward to collaborating with all of the programs and initiatives across UNM Health and Health Sciences and contributing to our shared dedication and commitment to the people and communities of New Mexico. Over the past 15 years of my time here at UNM, I have been so grateful to the wonderful people that I have met, and I am looking forward to many more years of building community with you all.
Smart earned her BA in psychology from the University of Portland and her MA and PhD from the University of Denver Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program. She completed her psychology internship at UNM HSC, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in the division of community behavioral health. During this time, she worked on grant projects with various Tribal communities, collaborating on writing grants, evaluating projects, and disseminating data. After her fellowship, she joined the faculty of the UNM School of Medicine as a licensed psychologist on the clinician educator track.
Smart’s commitment and expertise in DEI programs, particularly in recruitment, retention, and development of pre-faculty and faculty is demonstrated by her work developing the HSC Recruitment Roadmap: Recruitment for an Equitable and Inclusive Health Professions Workforce. She developed the HSC Equity Advisor initiative for search committees as training director of the psychology internship training program and in her collaboration with the UNM Office of Institutional Analytics (OIA) in developing UNM HSC-specific faculty and student data.
Additionally, her dedication to DEI is evident through her involvement as co-chair of the HSC Inclusive Excellence Council Workforce Development Committee and various other DEI initiatives, including creating a cross-cultural communication in mentoring curriculum delivered via the ECHO platform as part of the HSC DEI New Mexico Workforce Diversity Center of Excellence grant, and developing the Community, Connection, and Reflection Book Club as a strategy for connecting people and generating discussions on DEI topics.
As associate vice president for operations & strategic initiatives, Smart will help lead the development and implementation of DEI strategies and initiatives. Additionally, she will collaborate with communities across New Mexico to enhance the state's diverse health care and academic workforce and contribute to the development and dissemination of DEI-related innovations.
“Dr. Smart’s strategic planning, executive leadership experience, and goal-setting expertise, coupled with her commitment to DEI programs and recruitment make her an invaluable asset to our organization. I am confident that Dr. Smart’s inclusive and collaborative approach will significantly advance our mission to foster a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and belonging culture and climate,” Romero-Leggott said.