The COPH Advisory Board is a distinguished and diverse group of external community leaders, known for their vision, commitment to public health, UAMS, and Arkansas. In April the COPH Advisory Board gained six new board members, bringing the total number of members to 19. The board is composed of leaders in education, state government, the business community, health care, law, and the nonprofit world who embrace the importance of public health and the college. The board members’ responsibilities include: participating in quarterly meetings; supporting COPH strategies and creating opportunities for COPH students and faculty; assisting in developing financial resources that meet the mission of the COPH; recruiting future board members and serving as advocates for UAMS and COPH in the broader community.
The new members will serve three-year terms and include the following:
Annice Steadman, science lead teacher secondary schools, secondary schools, Little Rock School District. During her career, Steadman was afforded many opportunities to share her passion for teaching science and working with students. During her 47 years of teaching, she taught at Little Rock Central High School, the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts, and Pulaski Academy. She has received the Siemens Foundation Award for Advanced Placement, the U.S. Presidential Scholar Program Teacher Recognition Award, the Stephens Award for Outstanding Service to the Arkansas Science Community, and the Museum of Discovery 2017 Spark Star Award for igniting a passion for the study of science. She currently serves on the Arkansas State Science Fair Board.
Toyce Newton, founder, president, and CEO, Phoenix Youth and Family Services, Inc. Newton serves on the Board of Directors for First State Bank of Crossett. She has previously served on the Arkansas Board of Education and Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation Board of Directors.
Newton received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Master of Science in Teaching Sociology and Gerontology from Henderson State University.
Susan Weinstein, D.V.M., M.P.H., retired state public health veterinarian, Arkansas Department of Health. Before becoming the state public health veterinarian, Weinstein practiced medicine in her own veterinary clinic in Pulaski County for over 30 years. She has served on numerous committees including the Arkansas Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, the State Laboratory Advisory Council, as an Arkansas State Animal Control Association Advisor, the Arkansas Department of Health Science Advisory Committee, the Feral Hog Task Force, the Legislative Task Force on Alpha Gal, and the One Health Working Group. She was appointed by governor to the Arkansas Board of Health in 2016 as the veterinarian representative. She has also served on numerous community and religious volunteer boards, and has three adult children.
Weinstein received her bachelor’s and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University. Additionally, she received a Master of Public Health from the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health in 2010.
Morril Hilton Harriman, Jr., J.D., attorney, Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. He is a former Chief of Staff for Governor Mike Beebe and ha 25 years of private law practice, 16 of which he served in the Arkansas State Senate and six years as President of the Poultry Federation. Harriman led the transition of state government from one administration to another. He developed and negotiated bi-partisan support for passage of the Private Option, which has become a model for other states. Additionally, he has received the following recognitions: Award of Merit – Arkansas Judicial Council; Legislator of the Year, Arkansas Association of School Administrators; Legislator of the Year, Arkansas Municipal League; Legislator of the Year, Arkansas Bankers Association; Lobbyist of the Year, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; and Top Ten Most Effective Legislator, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association, Citizen Bank and Trust Company of Van Buren Board of Directors, and University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees.
Harriman received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Arkansas and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas School of Law.
Russell D. Harrington, Jr., F.A.C.H.E., president emeritus, Baptist Health. Harrington retired as president and CEO of Baptist Health on July 1, 2014. He is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE); a member of the American Hospital Association; a board member of Parkway Village, Inc.; a board member of Baptist Health Foundation; an advisory board member for the School of Business of Ouachita Baptist University; and a chairman of the advisory board for University Of Missouri graduate program for Health Services Management. Harrington has received the following honors: Distinguished Alumnus – Arkansas State University; Arkansas’ Philanthropic Person 2000 – Muscular Dystrophy Association; Honorary Colonel – Arkansas State Police; A. Allen Weintraub Award 2001 – Arkansas Hospital Association; 2002 Arkansan of the Year – Easter Seals; 2004 Worthen-Cornett Award – American Heart Association (Arkansas Affiliate); 2006 Top Manager of the Year – Sales & Marketing Executives Association; 2012 Business of Art Honoree – Pulaski Technical College Foundation; 2012 selected by AY Magazine as one of the 12 Most Powerful Men in AR (Medical Category); 2012 March of Dimes Citizen of the Year.
Harrington received a Bachelor of Science from Arkansas State University and a Master of Science in Health Services Management from the University of Missouri in Columbia. He and his wife, Donna, have two children (Stephanie and Brooks) and two grandsons (Cole and Patrick) and are members of Immanuel Baptist Church, where he serves as deacon and choir member.
Katy Allison, M.P.H., 2018 COPH student representative. Allison is a graduate research assistant in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the UAMS Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health (COPH). Additionally, she is pursuing her doctorate of philosophy in Health Promotion and Prevention Research at the college. Allison was a Stead Scholar at the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) and went on to serve as the Injury and Violence Prevention Program Manager and the Suicide Prevention Program Manager at ADH. Her interests focus on improving strategies for comprehensive suicide prevention in community and health care settings.
Allison received a Bachelor of Science from Hendrix College and a Master of Public Health at the COPH.
Founding members:
COPH Advisory Board Founding members:
Ruth Shepard, COPH advisory board chairman, retired, Just Communities of Arkansas
Gordon Silaski, division president, Centennial Bank
Honorable Hershel Cleveland, J.D., former Arkansas state representative, attorney
Anthony Fletcher, M.D., cardiologist
Janet Jones, president and CEO, Janet Jones Realty
Wesley Walls, A.I.A., principal, Polk Stanley Wilcox
Allan Gates, J.D., attorney, Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C.
COPH Advisory Board, Joined in 2015-2017:
Denver Peacock, principal, the Peacock Group
David Rainy, Ed.D., retired educator and state legislator
Steve Jones, senior vice president and director of water services, Garver, LLC
Melinda Faubel, director of External Affairs, AT&T
Jayme Mayo, P.A., in-house medical provider and wellness director, Nabholz Construction
Greg Ramon, CEO, Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority
Martha Jane Murray, architect, former director, Clinton Climate Initiative’s Home Energy Affordability Loan