ABOUT CRISTINA
Occupational Therapy Educator, Advocate, & Entrepreneur
Dr. Cristina Reyes Smith obtained a Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) in 2010 and obtained her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in 2006. She has been promoting health and wellness in the Charleston area for over 10 years through collaboration with community organizations, coordination of programs and events, and--most recently--individualized and group-based therapeutic services. She has received numerous awards for her leadership and service to the community and serves in multiple professional leadership roles at the local, state, and national level. She was recently interviewed for a podcast recorded by OT Practice Magazine and co-authored an article in OT Practice magazine entitled "No Hablo Ingles: Client-Centered OT Practice with Spanish-Speaking Clients." She was featured in the OT Practice magazine article, "Guiding Forces: Finding and Benefiting from Occupational Therapy Mentors."
Dr. Smith founded and served as inaugural President of the Alliance for Hispanic Health at MUSC. In this role, she facilitated the organization as it conducted conversational and Medical Spanish classes, provided Spanish Interpreters at community health functions, hosted Medical Interpreter workshops, and coordinated fundraising efforts to benefit underserved communities. She also served as the first MUSC Student Representative to the National Hispanic Medical Association Annual Conference.
Dr. Smith’s training and education in healthcare disparities and cultural competence have included direct personal and professional interactions with people of diverse races and ethnicities as well as participation in academic programs such as the MUSC Presidential Scholars program (an interdisciplinary program focused on scholarly approaches to addressing healthcare disparities), the interdisciplinary “Cultural Competence and Humility Course” at TJU, and an interdisciplinary elective on International Health at MUSC. She has led a mission team to Guatemala and volunteered in several Central American countries. She coordinated the implementation of an organizational cultural competence plan at a local free medical clinic and served as a volunteer Medical Spanish Interpreter and Translator.
Dr. Smith has presented academic and professional presentations at local and national events on topics such as: · Autism Treatment Approaches Using Modern Technology · Childhood Development and Milestones · Cultural Competence in Clinical Practice · Dance-Based Health and Wellness · Diversity in the Workforce · Disability Studies · Leadership · Spanish and Sign Language for OT Practice
Dr. Smith has received multiple awards for leadership and service to the community including the 2013 Emily L. Moore and J. Herman Blake CARE Fund Award for Pioneer Volunteer Faculty Leaders in the CARES Therapy Clinic, 2006 Alicia Balkcum Outstanding Student Award for Occupational Therapy, 2006 College of Health Professions Alumni Association Award, 2005 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Award, and 2004 Circulo Hispano-Americano de Charleston Scholarship Award.
Dr. Smith recently served as the Secretary of the South Carolina Occupational Therapy Association and served two terms as SC State Representative to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Representative Assembly from 2010 to 2013. She was also a participant in the 2012 AOTA Emerging Leaders Development Program. She currently volunteers as a supervisor with the free, student-run MUSC CARES Clinic in downtown Charleston. She and her husband Bryan reside with their children Solomon, Aidan, and Elena in Hanahan, SC. She enjoys gardening, aquarium-keeping, spending time with family, and all things "dance".