Biography

Director of Center for Local Public Health: June 2006-Present Provide leadership and direction for the teams managing 93 local health units organized into 5 geographic regions. Provide leadership and direction for central office support activities such as nursing, environmental health, quality assurance, administration. Responsible for 2,300 full time staff and 2,500 contract personnel. Oversee: $180 million budget, clinical services with over 850,000 annual visits, environmental health services (food protection, clean water, waste water), in-home service programs serving more than 27,000 Arkansans, and community public health programs in all 75 counties in Arkansas. Associate Director for Management and Operations, Center for Local Public Health; Branch Chief Local Public Health; Branch Chief Hometown Health Support: August 2005-June 2006. Provided administrative leadership for the Center for Local Public Health. Directed financial management and personnel activities for the largest of four centers in the Division of Health Director of Public Health Regions: Arkansas Department of Health, Senior Management Team, Little Rock, AR, August 2004 – August 2005. Oversee the state’s 88 local health unit operations in its 75 counties. Serve on the agency’s Senior Management Team. Lead the state’s Quality Improvement (Q.I.) team. Directly supervise the state’s five regional directors. Work closely with the agency program staff for development and management of public health programs. Support the implementation of Hometown Health Initiative, Healthy Arkansas and emergency preparedness planning. Accomplishments include: • improved the oversight of local health units by increasing the program management responsibilities of District Managers; • developed management tools and training for District Managers and Regional Team members; • initiated the development of operational standards for emergency preparedness, billing, same-day scheduling, WIC; • implemented a uniform system for franchise data collection; • directed the development of productivity tools and standards for public health investigators, registered nurse practitioners and clerical staff; • participated in the work group that directed the agency’s response to the flu vaccine shortage. Regional Director: Arkansas Department of Health, Southwest Region, Texarkana, AR, 2002 – August 2004. Provided direction and leadership for all public health programs in a 17-county region. Directly supervised the regional leadership team and the region’s five District Managers. Public Health responsibilities include Planning for Core Public Health Functions, Implementing Plans and Policies, Performance Monitoring, Franchise Agreements, Colleague Development, Developing Partnerships at the Regional and Local level, Maintaining ADH Mission Focus, Emergency Preparedness, and Communication. Accomplishments include: • expanded the Hometown Health Initiative; • started mass dispensing and small pox vaccination plans; • headed a work group that developed statewide nursing productivity standards and evaluation system; • managed the top performing region in meeting franchise agreements for service provision and productivity; • helped redesign the region’s organizational structure. Regional Q.I. Leader: Arkansas Department of Health, Southwest Region, Texarkana, AR, 2001 – 2004. Worked on regional leadership team and served as quality improvement leader for a 17-county region. Teamed with other regional Q.I. leaders to accomplish the following: • completed a time study of all clinical services and updated resource allocation system; • led a work group that developed a comprehensive quality assurance (Q.A.) process for the family planning program, including patient satisfaction survey, administrative and record audits, peer review, and observation tool; • led the development of operational standards for immunizations and family planning. • Immunizations operational standards contributed to Arkansas being named as one of the top five most improved states with CASA (% of 2 year olds immunized) Area Manager: Arkansas Department of Health, Area 5, Nashville, AR, 1984 – 2000. Managed all programs and personnel in an eight-county area in southwest Arkansas. Responsibilities include General Administration, Finance, Human Resources, Grants Management, Resource Management, and Facilities Management. Directly supervised 20 public health professionals, including eight local health administrators, the sanitarian supervisor, the nursing supervisor, the records and clerical supervisor, and program specialists. Served as primary legislative liaison for Area 5. Accomplishments include: • helped write a Robert Wood Johnson Child Health Initiative grant proposal and administered and served as program director for the $500,000, three-year award; utilized a community-driven health-planning process to prioritize children’s health needs; • served on the Hometown Health Initiative Steering Committee and helped select Boone County as the pilot project; • oversaw outbreaks of pertussis, tuberculosis, syphilis and hepatitis; • increased WIC participants, child health screenings, immunizations and family planning; • expanded personnel from 60 to over 200; • provided services to the highest percentage of targeted populations in the state for immunizations, family planning, maternity, and WIC. • developed and implemented numerous new services, including HIV testing and prevention, the Ryan White Initiative, maternity services, maternal-infant home visiting program, hospice and personal care, targeted case management; • obtained federal, state and community grants to help construct eight new local health departments in all eight counties. Area Nursing Supervisor: Arkansas Department of Health, Area 5, Nashville, AR, 1982 – 1984. Supervised all nursing personnel in an eight-county area (about 40 employees) in southwest Arkansas. Directed the activities of nursing program specialists. Assured appropriate nursing practice and compliance with program protocols in a variety of public health and personal health services. Implemented S.O.A.P. charting method. County Administrator and Public Health Nurse: Arkansas Department of Health, Miller County Health Department, Texarkana, AR, 1981 – 1983. Managed public health programs to improve effectiveness and efficiency. Supervised 20 employees at one of the larger local health units in the state. Developed and managed Miller County’s budget with support from the Miller County judge and quorum court. Ensured the maintenance of the health department building. County Administrator and Public Health Nurse: Arkansas Department of Health, Hempstead County Health Department, Hope, AR, 1979 – 1980. Supervised personnel and directed county public health programs while continuing to provide comprehensive direct patient care. Developed and managed the county budget with support from the county judge and quorum court. Controlled a tuberculosis outbreak in the Hope School District, providing over 100 students with preventative treatment. Ensured the maintenance of the health department building. Public Health Nurse: Arkansas Department of Health, Miller County Health Department, Texarkana, AR, 1978 – 1979. Provided patient care for family planning; STDs, TB and other communicable diseases; immunizations; adult health maintenance; child health supervision; and home health care. Managed the county child health program as lead nurse. Kellogg National Leadership Program: W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, MI, 1993 – 1997. Certificate of Achievement, 1997. Prepared and followed a three-year learning plan of personal development and leadership study. Examined coaching and youth programs as a leadership model around the world, traveling extensively in Latin America, Africa, Europe and the United States. Helped evaluate C.A.R.E. initiatives for HIV/AIDS prevention, clean water and “micro-banking” in Kenya, Uganda, and Egypt. Attended national and international seminars that emphasized community involvement in improving education, youth, health and economic development. Public Health Training: Arkansas Department of Health, 1979 – present. Completed numerous agency-sponsored seminars, including training in management, leadership, personnel, information technology, Performance Management, Total Quality Management, Risk Communication, community involvement and public relations. Professional Activities Committee to Select Southwest Arkansas Health Education Center (AHEC) Director, Member: Texarkana, AR, 2004. Our Children First Coalition, Inc., Co-Founder and Executive Board Member: Texarkana, AR, 1995 – 2003. Community-driven, non-profit organization that provides care coordination for children with multiple needs, parenting education, teen pregnancy prevention, and Medicaid outreach and sponsors annual health fair, “Wild About Wellness.” This model was used in the planning process for the agency’s statewide Hometown Health Initiative. Preventive Health Block Grant Steering Committee, Member: Little Rock, AR, 1992 – 2002. Arkansas State Board of Health, Executive Committee Member: 1989 – 1992, Member: 1988, 1992 – 1996. Elected inaugural APHA representative and twice appointed by Gov. Bill Clinton. Introduced and passed resolution supporting mandatory statewide fluoridation law. Texarkana, Arkansas Seatbelt Campaign, Initiator and Advocate: 1988. Successfully persuaded the Texarkana, Arkansas City Council to pass the first mandatory seatbelt ordinance in the state. Arkansas Public Health Association, member: 1978-present Arkansas Public Health Association, Executive Council Member: 1986 – 1996. Texarkana, Arkansas Fluoridation Campaign, Manager and Advocate: 1986, 2002. Led two campaigns attempting to fluoridate Texarkana water. Worked with dental and medical societies to mount an education and advertising campaign for a public referendum. Arkansas Public Health Association, District President (Southwest District): 1986 – 1987. Arkansas Public Health Nurses Association, Charter Member: 1982 – 1986. Miller County Health Board: ex-officio member 1981-1984