‘Phenomenal Women’ Honored at UAMS

By ChaseYavondaC

Jeri Garland, director of EMR Services, speaks during a panel discussion at the UAMS Phenomenal Women event.

The sixth-annual event, hosted by the UAMS Office of Human Resources and the Center for Diversity Affairs and planned by the UAMS Women’s History Committee, included remarks from guest speaker Jeanne Heard, M.D., Ph.D., provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, who recalled two former UAMS employees – Shirley Gilmore, Ph.D., and Lee Lee Doyle, Ph.D. – who impacted her life and career.

The title of this year’s UAMS Phenomenal Women event, part of National Women’s History Month, was “Her-Story Woven on the Loom of History.”

This year’s honorees were nominated by departments, colleagues and/or peers for 1) being strong role models who challenge stereotypes; or 2) making a positive impact on the lives of others; or 3) overcoming adversity; or 4) demonstrating a UAMS core value of integrity, respect, diversity, teamwork, creativity or excellence.

Anita Mitchell, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Nursing.

Rowena Garcia, clinical services manager in the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jeri Garland, director of EMR Services, Anita Mitchell, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Nursing, and Roxane Townsend, M.D, UAMS Medical Center CEO, took part in a panel discussion describing their journeys and specific life events that shaped their careers.

Garcia spoke of her upbringing in Manila, Philippines, in the 1970s when martial law was enacted. Her family then moved to Canada, where Garcia had to repeat a grade in school because of limited English proficiency. She was also required to learn French.

Through it all, Garcia said her mother continuously reminded her, “Don’t complain, you’re privileged to be here.”

“I am privileged to sit among everyone here,” Garcia said, “who I consider phenomenal for making a difference in my life.”

Garland recalled her 25 years spent in the Arkansas Army National Guard and some of the stereotypes and discrimination she faced. Even with those difficulties, which Garland said improved by the time she retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2011, she still called it the “most awesome” experience of her life that impacted and shaped her.

Garland was the first female to accomplish several things in the Arkansas Army National Guard, including the first to graduate first in class of Primary Leadership Development Course, first staff officer, and first command in an infantry brigade.

Roxane Townsend, M.D., UAMS Medical Center CEO.

Still, Garland said, “I’m ready for the firsts to end.”

Mitchell told of her hometown in the country of Zambia in Africa, and her ambition to impact change there. She, along with her research team from UAMS, has previously worked with midwives there to teach them how to care for babies in the delivery room in hopes of lowering the number of neonatal fatalities.

“While teaching the midwives to use suction bulbs, they looked at me and said, ‘This is great, but it won’t help us because we don’t have bulbs here,’” Mitchell recalled. “When I told them we brought several for them to have, they were almost in tears. Little resources like that are so meaningful when you don’t have much.”

Townsend spoke of her experience working in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

“It was truly a life-changing experience,” she said. “It was getting to see the absolute best and worst of human nature. It was seeing the need and the difference you could make in people’s lives.”

Odette Woods, senior human resources director, was a surprise Phenomenal Woman honoree.

This year’s honorees were:

  • Mary J. Cantrell – Simulation Education
  • Christina L. Clark – Chancellor’s Office
  • Bettie J. Young Cook – College of Medicine Grants/Risk Assessment

    Rowena Garcia, clinical services manager in the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, poses in front of a Phenomenal Women’s display.

  • Joan M. Cranmer – College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics
  • Kara A. Dixon – Clinical Programs, Rahling Road Clinic
  • Phyllis A. Fields – College of Health Professions
  • Rowena M. Garcia – Clinical Programs, Infusion 4
  • Jeri C. Garland – Information Technology, Electronic Medical Records
  • Marjorie L. Hart – Institute on Aging, Schmieding CARES, Springdale
  • Vivian J. Hervey – Clinical Programs, Cardiac Cath Lab
  • Holly Hiryak – Clinical Programs, Ambulatory Business Center
  • Laura P. James – College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
  • Diane M. Jarrett – College of Medicine, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
  • Gloria A. Johnson – College of Health Professions, Department of Dental Hygiene
  • Stacie M. Jones  – College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
  • Susan E. Lesourd – Clinical Programs, CPATH Immunology
  • Pearl A. McElfish – UAMS Northwest Arkansas campus
  • Jean C. McSweeney – College of Nursing
  • Priya Mendiratta– College of Medicine, Department of Geriatrics
  • Anita Mitchell – College of Nursing
  • Mary L. Payne – Clinical Programs, Pharmacy
  • F. Anita Reeves – Treasurer’s Office Administration
  • Kimberley L. Sanderson – Clinical Programs, CPATH Chemistry
  • Sara G. Tariq – College of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine
  • Roxane A. Townsend– Clinical Programs, UAMS Medical Center

    Each of the 29 honorees received a UAMS Phenomenal Women’s trophy.

  • Melissa B. Vandiver – College of Medicine, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
  • Lanita S. White – College of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Practice
  • Charla A. Wiley – College of Pharmacy, Pharmcogenomics