Lori Ross Named Founding Executive Director at the Doula Alliance of Arkansas (Movers & Shakers)

Lori Ross

Nonprofits

Lori Ross has been named the founding executive director at the Doula Alliance of Arkansas of Little Rock. As executive director, Ross will spearhead initiatives to enhance doula access, training and advocacy across Arkansas.

Jennifer Jones has been promoted to associate director of finance at the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation of Little Rock.

Travis Gunter has been appointed to the board of directors of Junior Achievement of Arkansas of Little Rock. Gunter serves as the senior director divisional merchandising manager of arts, crafts and sewing at Walmart Inc. of Bentonville.

Health Care

Dr. Muhammad Khan has been hired at Baptist Health Renal Care-Fort Smith. Khan specializes in diagnosing and treating kidney conditions such as chronic kidney disease, polycystic kidney disease, nephrotic syndrome, hypertension, hepatorenal syndrome, end-stage renal disease and kidney stones. Khan can also help patients with dialysis management.

Dr. Preksha Vankawala has been hired at Baptist Health Gastroenterology Clinic of Little Rock. Vankawala is board-certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology.

Banking & Finance

J.C. Hendrix Jr. has been hired as a national sales representative for the dealer direct program at First Community Bank of Batesville. Hendrix, a sales executive with more than 28 years of experience, has expertise in strategic planning, customer-centric solutions and technical sales.

Construction

Lorie Tudor, director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation, has been awarded the Skill, Integrity, Responsibility Award by the Associated General Contractors of Arkansas of Little Rock. The SIR award is the highest honor the AGC can give to a person outside of its association.

Education

Anna O’Dell has been hired as an assistant professor of social work at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Other new hires are Esaa Mohammad Sabti Samarah, as an assistant professor of social work; Monica Meadows, assistant professor of education; Victoria Elliott, instructor in the Department of Construction Management & Civil & Construction Engineering; Laura Langley, senior research assistant and clinical coordinator for the School of Education; Rachell Hayes, visiting assistant professor in the Department of Rhetoric & Writing; Michaela Abbott, assistant professor of public administration in the School of Public Affairs; and Wendy Mincer, associate professor in the Department of Counseling, Human Performance & Rehabilitation.

Legal

Scott Emerson has been named partner at the Little Rock office of the Potts Law Firm. Emerson has more than four decades of experience in the legal field.

Real Estate

Walter L. Washington Jr. has been awarded a BAY Award for Social Media Excellence by Back at You Media of Los Angeles. Washington is a Realtor with United Real Estate Central Arkansas of Little Rock.

Utilities

Hayden Driskill has been promoted to information security analyst 2 at Conway Corp. Other new promotions are Jerry Stewart to information risk and compliance manager and Jeremy Koone to water systems senior designer in the engineering and planning department.

Kody Miller, a wastewater plant superintendent at Conway Corp., has earned his class IV wastewater treatment certification from the Arkansas Department of Health. The certification is the top level of achievement for licensed wastewater plant operators in the state.