CoreCivic Physician Awarded Educator of the Year

Georgia Academy of Family Physicians’ (GAFP) Board Chair Dr. Michael Satchell presents the GAFP Educator of the Year Award to Dr. Walkitria Smith at the organization’s Annual Meeting held recently in Atlanta, Georgia. | Photo Credit: CoreCivic

Walkitria Smith, M.D., Chief Population Health Officer for CoreCivic as well as a family medicine physician and health-equity leader, has been named the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP) Educator of the Year. The award was presented during the organization’s Annual Meeting held recently in Atlanta. In her role with CoreCivic, Smith leads systemwide strategies to advance quality, access and equity in healthcare delivery. As an NIH CLINAQ AI Fellow, she integrates academic insight, digital innovation, and population-health best practices to improve outcomes for diverse patient populations.  

A graduate of Spelman College and Morehouse School of Medicine, Smith completed her residency at Chesterfield Family Practice in Richmond, Va., where she also served as Chief Resident. Her career includes leadership roles in clinical practice, academia, and digital health, with a sustained focus on preventive medicine, chronic-disease management and improving care for underserved communities.