Jorden Named Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

By Spencer Watson

Rhonda Jorden

“Throughout her career, Rhonda has demonstrated her commitment to teamwork, customer service and to the mission of UAMS. She is an effective leader and has led multiple projects at UAMS including the information technology infrastructure for the hospital patient tower, the expansion of Arkansas e-Link, and construction of a new UAMS primary data center,” said UAMS Chancellor Dan Rahn, M.D. “I am convinced that Rhonda has the knowledge, skills and capability needed to lead IT in a direction that will support advancement of the research, academic, clinical and business goals of our institution”

Jorden earned a bachelor’s in computer information systems from Arkansas State University (ASU) and worked as a contract programmer for five years before earning a Master of Business Administration from ASU in 1992 and joining UAMS. Her career at the university has included roles in management of patient systems, software development, clinical systems operations and serving as interim chief information officer for 14 months ending in 2011. For the past 12 years she has been the director of technical operations and chief technology officer.

“I am very excited to become the CIO of an institution where I’ve spent 22 years of my career,” said Jorden. “I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with everyone as we fulfill UAMS’ mission of education, research and patient care.”

UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,275 students, 890 medical residents and fellows, and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.

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