Katherine Hester Smith, M.D.
Position: Co-Director, NOLA Brain and Behavior, LLC
Undergraduate School: University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
Medical School: University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
Residency: Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
Fellowship: LSU School of Medicine, Shreveport, LA
Certification: American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology; American Board of Sleep Medicine; American Board of Behavioral Sleep Medicine; Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry; Medical Acupuncture
Dr. Smith is a board certified neurologist and psychiatrist with additional specialized training in Sleep Medicine, Behavioral Sleep Medicine, Behavioral Neurology-Neuropsychiatry, and Medical Acupuncture with over 10 years of experience in the care of people with cognitive, memory, and behavioral disorders. Dr. Smith completed her medical education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. She was a resident in the combined Psychiatry and Neurology Residency Training Program at the Tulane University School of Medicine, where she was selected to serve as Chief Resident. She completed fellowship training in Sleep Medicine at the LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport. She trained in medical acupuncture at the prestigious Helms Medical Institute of Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Smith began her medical career in the Sleep Medicine Center at the Ochsner Health System in New Orleans. She also worked in the Comprehensive Cognitive and Memory Disorders Clinical Program at Ochsner Health System. Dr. Smith worked at the Metropolitan Human Services District, where she was appointed Medical Director. She provided clinical care as a community-based clinician, and expanded clinical services designed to assist patients with severe and persistent mental illness in Orleans, Plaquemines, and Saint Bernard Parishes. Dr. Smith continues her community-based clinical care in the greater New Orleans area through her work as a lead physician for the Forensic Assertive Community Treatment Team and the Assertive Community Treatment Team with Northwestern Human Services. She has worked as a Deputy Coroner for the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office in the Forensic Center. She is an accomplished clinical trials researcher participating in many scientific studies. Her areas of expertise include: psychiatry, neurology, behavioral-cognitive disorders and sleep-related medical conditions.
Dr. Smith is interested in complementary and integrative medicine. Dr. Smith has extensive experience in graduate and undergraduate medical education. She served as Director of the Neurology Residency Training at the Ochsner Health System. She has supervised the training of resident physicians in Neurology, Psychiatry, and Internal Medicine. Her clinical work has been recognized with the receipt of the Top Doctor Award in New Orleans. She has been recognized for the highest level of patient satisfaction in neurology clinical services, and has received the Press Ganey National Award for superior patient satisfaction. Dr. Smith’s clinical practice focuses on patients with cognitive and behavioral disorders. Her clinical research efforts are designed to evaluate patient outcomes to improve quality of life. Her mission as a clinician is to foster healthy brain aging.
