Dr. Kelly M. Smith is ZTA's 2018 Outstanding Alumna

Dr. Kelly M. Smith, associate dean, academic and student affairs, and professor, pharmacy practice and science, University of Kentucky, College of Pharmacy in Lexington, Kentucky, will receive the Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation’s 2018 Outstanding Alumna Award on June 30 at ZTA’s Convention 2018 in Orlando, Florida.

An alumna of ZTA’s Gamma Pi Chapter, Dr. Smith received her bachelor of science degree in pharmacy in 1992 and doctor of pharmacy degree in 1993 from The University of Georgia. She completed her residency in drug information practice at University of Florida Health in Jacksonville in 1994. She then joined the University of Kentucky Health Care/Chandler Medical Center Department of Pharmacy staff as a drug information specialist and became an assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy in 1996.

She has moved up the ranks in the UK College of Pharmacy throughout her career, becoming a tenured professor in 2007 as well as an outstanding administrator. She served as interim dean of the college from 2015 to 2016 and has been associate dean for nearly 10 years.

Dr. Smith is also a nationally recognized leader in her field, currently serving as president-elect of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. She will be installed as president of ASHP in early June 2018.

From 2001 to 2005, she served as Director of the UK Health Care Drug Information Center and became a nationally-known expert and speaker in the field of “club” or “date rape” drugs. She spoke on the subject at conventions and leadership conferences for ZTA and other national women’s fraternities. Dr. Smith also served ZTA as a Province President from 2001 to 2003 and as ZTA’s national Standards and Enrichment Chairman from 1997 to 2001.

“Kelly’s outstanding career in pharmacy education makes all of us in Zeta Tau Alpha proud,” Foundation President Becky Hainsworth Kirwan said. “While becoming a national leader in her field, she has remained loyal to the principles of Zeta Tau Alpha, especially lifelong learning and leadership. She inspires pharmacy students to find their professional paths with the same care and nurturing spirit that made her an outstanding ZTA volunteer leader.”