
Brad Holloway of Birch Tree Communities Inc. in Benton

The Arkansas Pharmacists Association has hired Marlene Battle as health equity coordinator, a new role created to address health disparities in Arkansas that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As health equity coordinator, Battle will help direct programs to benefit underserved and vulnerable populations and work with the state Department of Health Equity on key goals and objectives. She’ll also coordinate vaccine access to underserved patients, help pharmacies expand COVID-19 testing programs and expand the number of pharmacies participating in the Vaccines for Children Program.
“I am excited to join the Arkansas Pharmacists Association team and take on a role that will have a direct impact on Arkansas patients and pharmacists and ensure that we as a state move toward a place where all patients are given equitable access to excellent and affordable health care,” Battle said.
Before joining APA, Battle was the pharmacy manager for D&D Pharmacy LLC within the Arkansas Diagnostic Center. She is the pharmacy representative for the Arkansas Medical, Dental & Pharmaceutical Association. In 2019, Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed her to a seven-year term on the board of visitors of the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences & the Arts.
Battle earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and a Master of Science in biology from Texas A&M University-Commerce. She earned her doctor of pharmacy at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy.

Bayley Halbert, an advanced practice registered nurse, has been hired at the Washington Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Fayetteville. Halbert earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Arkansas and a Master of Science in nursing from the University of South Alabama.

Brad Holloway has been promoted to CEO of Birch Tree Communities Inc. in Benton, where he previously worked as chief operations officer.
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has announced two promotions: Amy Jo Jenkins, associate director of administration for the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, and Matthew Kovak, executive director of the clinical trials office.
Jenkins was previously chief of staff in the office of Chancellor Cam Patterson.
Kovak previously served as assistant director of regulatory and financial affairs for cancer clinical trials at UAMS.

Chris Brown has been promoted to vice president and chief financial officer at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education in Fort Smith. Brown previously served as the director of accounting at ACHE.
See more of this week’s Movers & Shakers, and submit your own announcement at ArkansasBusiness.com/Movers.