Cheryl Smythe-Padgham
Assistant Dean, School of Health and Human Sciences, Director of Nursing
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Biography
Dr. Cheryl Smythe-Padgham joined Concordia University Irvine in 2017 and currently serves as Assistant Dean and Director of Nursing. She began her nursing career more than 25 years ago as a labor and delivery nurse, later earning her Master of Science in Nursing and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner certification in 1992.
Throughout her clinical career, she practiced in both private and community health settings across Orange and Los Angeles counties, focusing primarily on underserved populations and supporting the health needs of women, mothers, and infants.
Dr. Smythe-Padgham transitioned into academia in 2009, serving as a faculty member, Assistant Dean, and Interim Dean before joining Concordia’s Department of Nursing. She now leads academic operations, program development, and faculty support for the nursing program while continuing to teach and mentor the next generation of nurses.
Education
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) — Southern California State University Consortium
- Master of Science in Nursing & Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner — University of California, San Francisco
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing — University of Southern California
Courses Taught
- Women’s Health Care
- Physical Assessment
- Foundations of Nursing
- Leadership and Management
Research
- DNP Project: Nurse Practitioner’s Knowledge and Use of the Internet for Adolescent Health Information
Publications & Presentations
- Contributing author, Transcultural Nursing: Assessment and Intervention (Giger), 2016
- Poster Presentation, CANP Conference, Newport Beach (March 2015)
- Poster Presentation, STTI Odyssey Nursing Research Conference, Ontario (November 2014)