Gov. Asa Hutchinson has created a new advisory board to “review and evaluate new technologies” as the state works to increase its COVID-19 testing capabilities.
Hutchinson announced on Friday, May 29 that he had signed an executive order creating the COVID-19 Technical Advisory Board. According to a news release from Hutchinson’s office, the board will be providing guidance as the state’s public health agencies craft strategies for testing and contact tracing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The executive order creating the advisory board is Executive Order 20-28. According to the executive order, the board is authorized to “make any recommendations necessary to enhance the state’s technology infrastructure for the management of COVID-19.”
In total, 12 individuals have been appointed to the advisory board by Hutchinson. Dr. Austin Porter III will be serving as the board chairman.
The board consists of the following members:
- Austin Porter III, Deputy Chief Science Officer, Arkansas Department of Health
- Nolan Leatherwood, Interim Chief Information Security Officer, Arkansas Department of Information Systems.
- Donald McCormick, Epidemiologist, Arkansas Department of Health.
- Jim Carter, Chief Information Officer, Arkansas Department of Health.
- Adita Karkera, Deputy State Chief Data Officer, Arkansas Department of Information Systems.
- Michael Cima, Chief Epidemiologist and Associate Director for Science, Arkansas Department of Health.
- Mandana Rezaeiahari, Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
- Kevin Sexton, Co-Director of Healthcare Analytics, Institute of Digital Health and Innovation; Associate Chief Clinical Informatics Officer for Innovation, Research, and Entrepreneurship; Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Biomedical Informatics and Health Policy Management, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
- Jennifer Davis, Chief Privacy Officer, Arkansas Department of Information Systems.
- Anne Santifer, Director, Office of Health Information Technology, Arkansas Department of Health.
- Kim Gardner, Arkansas Department of Human Services.
- Clark Cogbill, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Department of Commerce
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