Noël Smith, MA
Scholar In Residence
Noël Smith is the Scholar‑in‑Residence for the Physician Assistant Leadership and Learning Academy (PALLA) within the Graduate School at the University of Maryland. She brings more than twenty‑five years of experience in workforce research and thirteen years of experience working with the physician associate/assistant (PA) profession.
Noël revitalized the research program at the American Academy of PAs, earning national recognition for her leadership in advancing PA‑focused research. She is an innovative research leader with extensive experience across nonprofit and government sectors. While her research portfolio is broad, her work consistently centers on workforce development and clinician well‑being.
Her interests include program development, program and educational evaluation, and stakeholder engagement. Noël is deeply committed to advancing research that strengthens healthcare policy and clinical practice.
Noël earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the State University of New York, Cortland College and a Master of Arts in Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park.
