Arkansas State Assembly

Introducing AST’s 2026-2027 Board of Directors. Eligible positions were elected at AST’s Surgical Technology Conference in Seattle, June 2.

Back row from left: Director Chris Blevins, MBA, AAS-ST, CST, FAST; Director Christopher Scott, CST, FAST; Director Jeff Walker, MHA, CST, FAST; Director Brooke Oliver, MEd, CST, FAST.

Front row from left: Director Kristie Cole, EdD(c), Med, CST, FAST; Secretary Jaime Lopez, CST, CSFA, RN, FAST; Vice President Dustin Cain, CST, CRCST, CHL, FAST; President Joe Charleman, DBA, CST, CSFA, FAST; Director Lisa Day, MA, CST, CSFA, FAST; Director Monica Thulon, CST, CSFA, FAST.

Not Pictured: Treasurer Rachel Clark, CST, CSFA, ST-R, FAST.

The AST Foundation for Surgical Technology annually presents three Constellation Awards to distinguished educators, with two of this year's recipients hailing from Arkansas. Congratulations to Sheena Ramey, Treasurer of ARSA and faculty of Northwest Arkansas Community College, received the Rising Star award. Tammy Schaefer, Vice President of ARSA and Clinical Coordinator at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, was honored with the Shining Star award.

ARSA President Tamara Morgan, Vice President Tammy Schaefer, and Treasurer Sheena Ramey represented the organization at the student forum raffle in Seattle, where ARSA donated sweatshirts and a laptop, with Morgan Childress from Texas winning the laptop.

This year, AST and its members demonstrated their commitment to supporting Seattle Children's Hospital by acknowledging their efforts to provide essential items to children, teenagers, and their families. To further facilitate this support, ARSA donated gift cards. ARSA Vice President Tammy Schaefer and ARSA Treasurer Sheena Ramey are pictured below with the donations.

ARSA had five members representing our state at the AST National Conference in Seattle. They attended two business meetings, a candidates forum, a bylaws forum, and voted in the election for the AST national board.

Pictured from left to right:
Debbie Adair, Tammy Schaefer-ARSA VP, Tamara Morgan-ARSA President, Cindy Lewis, Sheena Ramey-ARSA Treasurer