HJAR Mar/Apr 2026

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  MAR / APR 2026 33 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalAR.com Anita Deal, RN, who recently retired. Taylor is a board-certified family nurse practitio- ner and holds multiple professional credentials, including HEC-C (Healthcare Ethics Consultant) and CADDCT (Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer). She has served in a vari- ety of clinical and operational leadership roles spanning hospice and palliative care, assisted liv- ing, and long-term care. Taylor earned a master’s degree in nursing from South University and holds nursing degrees from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She has also completed leadership development through Georgetown University and Franklin Covey. Last September, Taylor received the Heart Award from the Hospice & Palliative Care Association of Arkansas. UAMSWinthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Names Five to Board of Advisors The Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at UAMS has named four new members and one returning member to its Board of Advisors. The new members, who will serve three three- year terms that run through May 2034, are Anna Lee Powell, Bobbi McDaniel, Denny Sumpter, and Mary Ashleigh Harper. Ray Dillon rejoins the board after serving from 2014 to 2024. These five individuals will join the 32-member board, led by Hatim Smouni, who serves as the board’s chair. Anna Lee Powell of Hope is a community devel- opment and nonprofit leader who currently serves as president of Hempstead County Economic Development Corporation and the Southwest Arkansas Development Alliance. She also serves she served from 2018–25 as the senior adminis- trative services director at the UAMS Institute for Digital Health & Innovation, where her responsi- bilities included budget development and finan- cial oversight. Seidl earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in public administration from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. UAMSWinthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Expands OnCore to Strengthen Clinical Trials UAMS’ Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute has fully implemented the Advarra OnCore Clini- cal Trials Management System. The $2.4 million investment strengthens oversight, efficiency, and growth of cancer clinical trials. As of Dec. 4, the Cancer Institute is live with all three Advarra modules, including OnCore, Elec- tronic Regulatory (eReg), and Electronic Data Capture (EDC), completing a phased rollout that began July 1, 2024. Approximately 150 users across the Cancer Institute and the UAMS Trans- lational Research Institute are now using the sys- tem to manage 303 active clinical trials and track 1,127 patients enrolled in studies. OnCore centralizes the administration of clini- cal trials, helping research teams evaluate studies, manage finances, oversee regulatory compliance, streamline patient onboarding, and support day- to-day trial operations. The system integrates with Epic, UAMS’ electronic medical record system, improving coordination between clinical care and research activities. Advarra’s eReg module streamlines the man- agement and oversight of regulatory documents throughout the lifecycle of a clinical trial. The electronic platform securely stores and shares protocols, staff credentials, and regulatory doc- uments, improving accuracy and ensuring com- pliance. The EDC module supports fast, accurate data collection by providing real-time access to clinical trial data. LifeTouch Health Names Nikki Taylor as VP, CCO LifeTouch Health has appointed Nikki Taylor, APRN-FNP-C, HEC-C, CADDCT, as vice pres- ident and chief clinical officer. Taylor replaced on the Arkansas Economic Development Board. A graduate of the University of Central Arkansas, Powell holds a degree in political science. She is a graduate of Leadership Texarkana. Bobbi McDaniel of Little Rock is director of development at Camp Aldersgate Inc., and serves on the board of the Association of Fun- draising Professionals, Arkansas Chapter. She is a past board member of the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, Women and Children First, the Arkansas Repertory Theater, and the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Auxiliary. McDaniel received the Domestic Peace Award from the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She is a graduate of the University of North Georgia. Denny Sumpter of West Memphis is principal attorney of Sumpter Law Firm, PLLC. He repre- sented Crittenden County in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2003–2009, where he served on the House Committee on Public Health and supported the establishment of UAMS as a Level 1 Trauma Center. Sumpter earned degrees from Arkansas State University and the University of Memphis School of Law. Mary Ashleigh Harper of Lake Village and Lit- tle Rock is an administrator in the office of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, managing daily oper- ations of the governor’s mansion. She previously served as program director for the Arkansas Rural Health Partnership and worked on the staffs of Arkansas First Lady Susan Hutchinson and the 2014 French Hill for Arkansas congressional cam- paign. Harper earned degrees from the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the SamM. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Ray Dillon of Little Rock is former president and CEO of Deltic Timber, a role he held for 13 years. His extensive career in the paper and for- est products industry included executive roles at Gaylord Container Corporation and its predeces- sor, Crown Zellerbach. Dillon is a graduate of Mis- sissippi State University, where he studied chem- ical engineering. He received an MBA from the University of Chicago. He and his wife, Deborah, are members of the University of Arkansas Chan- cellor’s Society. n Nikki Taylor, APRN-FNP-C, HEC-C, CADDCT