UAMS Institute for Digital Health & Innovation
Stroke Program
4301 W. Markham St., Slot 513
Little Rock, AR 72205
(501) 686-8514
Stroke Program Team Directory
Medical Director
Sanjeeva Onteddu, MD
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.
Director of Operations
Renee Joiner is the Director of Operations for the Stroke Program. 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
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
- Sherrie Searcy, RN, Outreach
SASearcy@uams.edu
Technical Support
- Phillip Martin, Video Support
Quality Data
- Calvin Duncan, BS, EMT
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.
Call Center
- Chastity Baldwin, Call Center Supervisor – CBaldwin@uams.edu
- 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)
- William Tremaine Jr., NREMT
WTremaine@uams.edu
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.