Program Leadership
Angela L Scott, M.D, Ph.D.
Executive Medical Director
Angela Scott M.D, Ph.D., FAAP is an Assistant Professor in the UAMS Department of Pediatrics as well as the Division of Medical Humanities within the UAMS College of Medicine. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Texas at Austin, her medical degree and her PhD in the Medical Humanities at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston prior to residency training in pediatrics at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. After practicing general pediatrics for several years, she came to UAMS for fellowship training in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics and has since joined the faculty. Dr. Scott is one of only nine developmental-behavioral pediatricians in the state. In addition to her clinical work at the James L. Dennis Developmental Center, she is actively involved in medical student education at UAMS. She began her work with Kids First during her fellowship and became Executive Medical Director of the Kids First Program in July 2017 following the retirement of Founding Director, Dr. Pat Casey.
Erin Bright, M.Ed., MBA
Executive Director
Erin Bright, M.Ed., MBA, became Executive Director in 2013. Prior to that, she had been the Clinic Director for Schmieding Kids First in Lowell and served as an Early Childhood Developmental Specialist. Erin received her Master’s Degree from the University of Arkansas in 2007 and has been working in the field for 15 years, 11 of which have been with Kids First. Erin’s interests include family engagement, supporting children at risk, and healthy social emotional development.
Clinical Operations
Diane Atkins, BSN, RN
Director of Nursing
Diane Atkins, BSN RN is a registered nurse who obtained her Bachelor’s in Nursing for Henderson State University. Diane has been with Kids First for 24 years’ service as an RN/Clinical Coordinator at Kids First Morrilton and Program Operations Manager. Currently Diane is the Director of Nursing. In her role, she provides clinical supervision of nursing staff and supports employee heath and clinic safety.
Lesli Fason, OT R/L
Lesli Fason, OT R/L is an Occupational Therapist. She received a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Central Arkansas in 1999. She has worked at Kids First for 17 years and for the past two years has served as Therapy Manager. While she enjoys all aspects of her job and the children, she especially enjoys working with the children who are considered picky eaters and have sensory processing disorders
Robyn Wessels, M.Ed
Day Habilitation Program Manager
Robyn Wessels, M.Ed obtained her bachelors degree in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Arkansas. She went on to finish her graduate degree in Early Childhood Education at Keystone. With more than 20 years in the field, Robyn brings to Kids First a wealth of knowledge about adapting early childhood environments and curricula for all young learners. Robyn currently supports all Kids First locations as our Day Habilitation Program Manager.
Training and Technical Assistance
Brenda Alred, MS, SLP-CCC
Brenda Alred, M.S. CCC-SLP obtained her Master’s in Communication Disorders from University of Central Arkansas in 1999. She has worked at UAMS Kids First for the past 19 years and has served as the Therapy Manager for the past 8 years. She continues to offer support to our team of OTs, PTs, and SLPs, coordinate therapy fieldwork placements, and lends technical assistance to the treatment rooms for visual supports and classroom behavior management.
Aimee Richbourg, MS, RD, LD
Aimee Richbourg, MS, RD, LD is a registered, licensed dietitian with a master’s degree from University of Central Arkansas (UCA). She is the nutrition coordinator for Searcy, Newport and Lowell clinics. Aimee has been with Kids First for 15 years and special interests include food allergies and creating therapeutic menus and metabolic diets.
Kym Jablonski, MS, RD, LD
Kym Jablonski, MS, RD, LD is a registered, licensed dietitian with a master’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas (UCA). She is the nutrition coordinator provides oversight for the CACFP (child and adult care food program). She has been with Kids First for 15 years and special interests include foodservice, childhood obesity and feeding issues.
Administrative Services
Tamara Scott, MA, LSW
Manager of Operations
Tamara Scott, MA, LSW is the Manager of Operations for UAMS Kids First. Tamara is a licensed social worker who obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and her Master’s degree in Management and Leadership from Webster University. Tamara has been with UAMS Kids First since 1999 and has held several positions with us including Program Coordinator and Admissions Review Specialist. In her current role, Tamara provides oversight of administrative functions such as billing, prior authorization, and ensuring compliance with various administrative requirements we are held to as a program.
Outreach
Sandra Withers, APRN
Outreach Program Administrator
Sandra Withers, APRN, Administrator for Outreach Programs, became UAMS Kids First’s first Director of Nursing in 1993, having previously served as Nurse Manager and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Arkansas Children’s Hospital Pediatric Clinic for 10 years. She worked with our founder, Dr. Pat Casey, and the leadership team to develop the Kids First program from its infancy, and starting in 2009, helped create home visiting services for medically-complex babies after NICU discharge – Following Baby Back Home (FBBH) – and health training and consultation services for early childhood program providers statewide, which became Healthy Child Care Arkansas (HCCAR). From 2013 -2017, she served as Administrator for Clinical and Outreach Programs, overseeing the clinical functions of the Kids First interprofessional team, consisting of developmental services, nutrition, social work, therapy, and nursing, along with FBBH and HCCAR. Her focus is now on outreach programs, and her interests include early childhood health in community settings, interprofessional collaboration, family engagement and support, health literacy, and staff health.