Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology
Dr. Misty Virmani is a board-certified pediatrician and neonatologist as well as a specialist in breastfeeding and lactation medicine. She specializes in growth and nutrition of the premature infant and works at UAMS Health and Arkansas Children’s in the neonatal intensive care unit. Dr. Virmani worked with members of the state legislature to create funding for the UAMS Milk bank. Dr. Virmani has worked with the Department of Health and at UAMS to improve access to breastfeeding support and now works as the executive director and the medical director of the UAMS Milk Bank. She currently resides in Little Rock with her husband and their three children.
Tyler Faircloth is a licensed practical nurse. Her nursing career began in 2009, as a traditional bedside nurse. In 2015, while pregnant with her youngest daughter, she was involved in a car accident that ultimately required induction of late preterm delivery. After Tyler and baby received treatment from several departments at UAMS, an opportunity became available to manage the neonatal intensive care unit milk lab. While in that role, she gained knowledge and experience regarding safe handling, storage, and preparation of human milk for neonates. Tyler served as milk lab manager of the NICU milk lab for seven years, supervising a staff of laboratory technicians to make prescribed neonatal feedings for NICU patients. When asked to assist in the development of the first human milk bank in Arkansas, she accepted the opportunity and continued to manage the NICU milk lab. Tyler became the UAMS Milk Bank lab manager in August 2023 and has contributed greatly to building the UAMS Milk Bank into a newly accredited HMBANA Milk Bank. In February 2024, Tyler was promoted to the role of the UAMS Milk Bank Program Director where she will continue to grow its operations and oversee the donation, processing and distribution of donor milk in addition to developing programs that continue to serve Arkansas' breastfeeding women and infants. She is excited for the opportunity to support improving the health of mothers and infants in Arkansas. Tyler resides in Maumelle with her husband and two daughters.
Heena was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey and studied and graduated with a degree in Business Administration in India. "I am a very compassionate person who wants to help care for newborns during their most fragile stage of life." Heena has found the work with the UAMS Milk Bank richly rewarding to see tiny babies grow stronger during their time in the NICU benefiting from the donor milk provided by Arkansas' mothers to the Milk Bank. Heena has been blessed with two children who like to keep her family very busy. She loves to travel and going for long drives to visit scenic areas with her loving husband.
