2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Our dedicated Board of Directors brings diverse backgrounds and expertise to our organization, and contributes countless hours to ensure the success of our programs.  All share a strong desire to positively impact the lives of children and their families. Thank you to all current and past Board members who, since 1980, provide meaningful leadership and direction for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas.

Chair: Diana Smithson - Senior Vice President, Private Banking Manager, IBERIABANK
Vice Chair: Sam Baxter – Attorney, Baxter, Jewell & Dobson, P.A.
Treasurer/Secretary: Phyllis Rogers, CPA, CGMA – CFO, Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care

Justin Acri - General Manager, KABZ-FM, 103.7 The Buzz
Kristy Lopez-Allen - McDonald's Owner/Operator
David Avery – Vice President – Corporate Affairs, Windstream
Louis Cimino - McDonald's Owner/Operator
Donna Clark – Philanthropist/Community Leader 
Troy Deal – Owner, ZIN Urban Wine & Beer Bars
Dean DiMichele - McDonald's Owner/Operator
Nicole DiMichele - McDonald's Owner/Operator
Lee Anne Eddy, MSN, RN, NEA-BC - Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President, Arkansas Children's Hospital
Jonathan Goldberg – Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Arkansas Children’s Hospital
R. Whit Hall, M.D. - Neonatology, Medical Director, UAMS NICU
Brad Hegeman – President, Nabholz Construction
Chris Knollmeyer – Director of Purchasing, Ben E. Keith Foods Mid-South
Eric Mangham - CFO, Arkansas Federal Credit Union
Clinton McDonald – NFL Player, Oakland Raiders
Tim McMennamy – President and COO, Innerplan Office Interiors
Susie Morgan – Philanthropist/Community Leader
Lanny Nickell - Vice President Engineering, Southwest Power Pool
Blake Roberts – Sales Account Executive, Tyson Foods
Marcy Woods-Robinson – Restaurant Services Manager, Martin-Brower
Michelle Rupp – Director of PR and Communications, Arkansas Heart Hospital
Jim Schnoes – Community Leader
Shelia Vaught - Community Leader/Wedding and Event Planner
Dennis Young – Retired Independent Insurance Agent/Community Leader
Tracy Young - Partner, BKD, LLP

Thank you to our former board members who have given
​ years of dedicated service to help families.

Gwen Haniff

Station Leader, Southwest Airlines
"My purpose is to be of service to RMHCA and the community, to assist and build relationships with families that are in need.  It is important to maintain support and foster continued communication between my company, a global partner of RMHC, and the Ronald McDonald House.  Making a lasting, lifelong friendship with some of the families at the House has been very rewarding for me personally".  ​​~ Gwen Haniff
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Brenda Barrett

Retired Paralegal and Office Administrator
"My father taught me by example many years ago how very important it is to be mindful of the needs of others and doing what we can to lighten their load. It is truly a privilege to be a part of serving the families that pass through our doors each day; it keeps me mindful of how very blessed I am."
​~ Brenda Barrett

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Susan Miller, CPA, CFHMA

Partner, BKD, LLP
"I serve on the board to help continue to build the strength of the organization, in order for our wonderful team to be able to successfully and lovingly fulfill the mission of RMHCA."
~ Susan
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Corey Bryant

Senior Vice President, ​​First Security Bank
"There are numerous non-profit organizations that do amazing work in Little Rock and across the United States. When I was looking for an organization to put my energy into I wanted to find one that I had a personal connection to and one in whose mission I believe. I am connected to the Ronald McDonald House through my deceased wife. She and her mother were in need of “a home away from home” when her brothers were severely burned and hospitalized. They were blessed with the opportunity to stay at the Ronald McDonald House. During their time of crisis, it was a comfort and stress relief for them to have a safe, comfortable place to come home to. The Ronald McDonald House provides amazing resources for families; they have the ability to stay together, and it takes away at least one of the worries in an already stressful situation. I believe in, and have a passion for, the mission of the Ronald McDonald House, ”To provide a "home-away-from-home" that serves and sustains families of children being treated at area hospitals and supports community programs that serve the needs of children.” My goal is to help the Ronald McDonald House grow and to be able to assist more families in their time of crisis."
~ Corey Bryant

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Eliecer Palacios

McDonald's Owner/Operator
"It is rewarding being associated as a board member with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas, helping provide a home to so many families when their kids are seriously ill.  As a father of three young children, I understand that a family would sacrifice anything to be close to their kids in time of need. It is so fulfilling to support an organization that provides some comfort to those families that come to the Ronald McDonald House." ~ Eliecer Palacios
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Tammy Del Donno

Community Leader
"When I was in the third grade, my best friend’s mother had to spend months away from home while her youngest child was in the hospital. I remember worrying about her mom, wondering where she was sleeping, if she was okay, and how she was surviving in Little Rock all alone. That was before there was a Ronald McDonald House. I understand the positive impact the House has made on thousands of families through the years.  It is not just a place that I volunteer my time, it is a part of who I am." ~ Tammie

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Dr. Jayant Deshpande

​Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, ​Arkansas Children's Hospital
"I am delighted to serve on the RMHCA Board. Its work is critical for the patients and families we serve at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. The “home-away-from-home” experience at Ronald McDonald House reduces stress for families and provides them with emotional support. The families can then better support and deal with the healthcare challenges their hospitalized children face. We need their parents as partners in the care of our patients."
~ Dr. Jayant Deshpande

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Rodney Showmar

​President & CEO
​Arkansas Federal Credit Union
For over a decade, RMHCA Board Member Rodney Showmar, President and CEO of Arkansas Federal Credit Union, has been a leader in the growth and advancement of our organization. Rodney has stepped up to serve whenever asked. He served as Board Chair and as a member of the Executive, Capital Campaign and Finance Committees. His guidance during the construction and opening of the new House was invaluable. Leading by example, he continues to inspire his AFCU team to give back to the community and Ronald McDonald House. We are grateful for all Rodney does to help families stay close to their child in the hospital.

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Kent Taylor

Principal and Director,
​Cromwell Architects Engineers​
"I have been designing facilities for Arkansas Children's Hospital, for over 20 years, and friends with families served by the hospital for 30. The lives of families are interrupted in every possible way when their ill child has to be hospitalized. The emotional, financial, and personal stresses are often RMHCA not only lifts so many burdens from those families, it provides a place of respite and emotional support.  I am so happy that we are able to do so much for these people in their time of need." ~ Kent Taylor
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Richard Yada

Senior Advisor, Growth Management Group/Business Consultant​
"I serve on the board to support the staff and do whatever I can to help continue this important and terrific mission. Before Ronald McDonald House, some families slept in their cars at the hospital because they wanted to be close to their critically ill children, but could not afford a nearby hotel . In addition to having a comfortable place to sleep, the bonus to families staying at the House is the caring support they receive by RMHCA staff ."
~ Richard. Yada
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