UAMS Center for Distance Health

AR SAVES Program
4301 W. Markham St., Slot 513
Little Rock, AR 72205
(501) 686-8514

AR SAVES Team Directory

Medical Director

Onteddu_Sanjeeva_MD_NeuroSanjeeva Onteddu, MD

Interim Director of UAMS Stroke Program
SROnteddu@uams.edu

Dr. Sanjeeva Onteddu is an Assistant Professor of Neurology, Medical Director for the AR SAVES Program and Medical Director of the Stroke Program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. After completion of a 4-year neurology residency at UAMS, he completed a 1-year vascular neurology fellowship at the University of Massachusetts. He is board certified in neurology and vascular neurology, and maintains active memberships with the American Heart Association and American Academy of Neurology.

Program Director

Renee Joiner, Program Director

Renee Joiner, RN, BSN
501-454-3281
crjoiner@uams.edu

Renee Joiner is the Director of AR SAVES.  She has a long history of public health leadership including trauma system development, public health preparedness, HIV prevention and treatment, tobacco prevention and the Healthy AR initiative.

Program Manager

conelia williamson Conelia Williamson

501-686-8514
conelia@uams.edu

 

 

 

 

 

Neurologists

  • Sanjeeva Onteddu, MD
  • Margaret Tremwel, MD, PhD
  • Krishna Nalleballe, MD
  • Jay Hinkle, MD
  • Kelly Ann Patrice, M.B.,B.S.
  • Vishank Shah, M.B.,B.S.
  • Mhd Ezzat Zaghouleh, MD

Nurses

  • Marzella Backus, Assistant Director, MNSc, RN, CEN, 

Marzella is a 2018 graduate of the UAMS Nursing Master’s Program in Administration, with a specialty in Education. She has been at UAMS since 2006 where she has worked in various nursing roles ranging from medical / surgical nursing, emergency department nurse, and in Interventional Radiology. She has been with the AR SAVES program since January 2017.

MBackus@uams.edu   501-554-3403

  • Suzanne White, RN, Outreach 

SMWhite@uams.edu   501-398-3833

Suzanne White graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith in 2003 with her Associate Degree in Nursing.  She joined the AR SAVES team in 2016 after working for 8 years in the Maternal/Infant Division of UAMS and the Center for Distance Health Call Center.  She is currently pursuing her BSN degree at UAMS and anticipates completion in 2019.

  • Tim Vandiver, BS, NRP, RN, Outreach 

tvandiver@uams.edu   501-554-1511

Tim Vandiver has been with the AR SAVES program since October of 2015.  Before joining AR SAVES Tim worked as a Paramedic and ER nurse for over 33 years.  Currently Tim is the Outreach Nurse for 8 ARSAVES hospitals and is responsible for the AR SAVES for EMS education in Arkansas.

  • Robin Banks, RN, Outreach

rdbanks@uams.edu 501-352-4115

  • Jennifer McCurry, RN, Outreach

JMccurry@uams.edu  501-425-2821

  • Trish Maynes, BS, RN, Outreach

PAMaynes@uams.edu  501-954-0392

Technical Support

  • Phillip Martin, Video Support

PWMartin@uams.edu

Call Center

Calvin received his EMT and Paramedic license at ASU, Searcy.  He later went on to graduate with a Bahelor’s degree in EMS from UAMS.  He has been in EMS for 15 years.  Five of those years were at UAMS with the AR SAVES Program.

  • Samantha Hanard: NREMT

Samantha graduated from Pulaski Tech in 1992 as a Paralegal.  She attended EMT school with MEMS worked for EMS for 4 years.  She joined the AR SAVES Program in 2017.

  • Lizelle Griffith: NREMT

Lizelle attended EMT school at MEMS Ambulance Service where, upon graduation, she worked for the next 10 years.  She is the most recent addition to UAMS and the AR SAVES Program.

“I’m looking forward to many more years working at AR SAVES.” (Lizelle Griffith)

Health Educators

  • Olivia Wilson, MS, CHES – Program Manager/Health Educator

OWilson2@uams.edu   501-615-4697

Born and raised in Malvern, AR, Olivia graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Education and Promotion and Master of Science Degree in Health Sciences from the University of Central Arkansas in Fall 2012. Olivia went on to become a Certified Health Education Specialist and member of the National and Arkansas Chapters of SOPHE and APHA. Olivia joined the AR SAVES Program in June 2015.

  • Erin Pace, BS, CHES-Community Health Educator

EPace@uams.edu   501-410-4278

Born and raised in Searcy, AR, Erin graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in the Spring of 2017 with a Bachelors of Science in Health Education and Promotion and a minor in Nutrition.  She then became a Certified Health Education Specialist and went on to joined the AR SAVES Program in August of 2017.