Mattheus (Matthew) Smit, is a Regional Infection Prevention Nurse, or more specifically, preventionist, employed by the University of Kentucky. He is assigned to the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH), Hospital-Acquired/Antibiotic-Resistance (HAI/AR) Program to support healthcare facilities (across the spectrum) in Western Kentucky.
He is a South African expatriate who emigrated to the United States in 2000 with his wife, a foreign nurse recruit sponsored by O'Grady Peyton to fulfill a nursing need during an acute shortage. His wife, Linda was the inspiration for him to also pursue a nursing career as he observed the incredible impact she made in the lives of her patients.
His career has taken him from Medical-surgical nursing at Rose Medical Center in Denver, CO, and Occupational Health Nursing at HCA Sky Ridge in Lone Tree, CO, to becoming the health and safety Executive at Macy's Logistics in Portland, TN, when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred. Wanting to be part of the solution, he joined KDPH in August 2019 under a CDC grant to support long-term care with COVID-19 responses in WKY and has been there since.
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The University of Kentucky College of Public Health is undergoing a review by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) for re-accreditation. Part of this process includes the invitation to provide third-party comments. Anyone, including students, alumni, employers, community partners, etc., is allowed to share relevant information about the college directly with CEPH. If you would like to provide input to CEPH to inform their review, send your comments to submissions@ceph.org by May 4th, 2025.
