College of Health Professions Bids Farewell to Two Program Directors
| The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Health Professions bid farewell to two longtime faculty members as 2020 came to an end. Betholyn Gentry, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, and Tony Baker, M.Ed., RDMS, RVT, retired after decades at UAMS.
Tony Baker retired in December 2020 after nearly 21 years in the College of Health Professions.
Gentry, a professor of Speech-Language Pathology who served as the director for both the master and Ph.D.-level programs, worked for UAMS for 43 years. Baker worked at UAMS for nearly 21 years and was the director of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program.
Both Gentry and Baker were among the 36% of the college’s faculty who studied at UAMS.
“Betholyn and Tony were instrumental in the success of their respective programs,” said Susan Long, Ed.D., dean of the college. “We are so grateful for the years they dedicated to UAMS, and we will miss them both terribly.”
Both Gentry and Baker say their years at UAMS have been so rewarding and leaving is bittersweet.
“I have enjoyed the friends and colleagues I have met over the last 43 years,” Gentry said. “I have enjoyed training hundreds of speech-language pathologists who went on to improve the quality of life for numerous people in Arkansas.”
“I’ll miss the classroom and scanning labs dearly,” said Baker. “I’ll also miss getting to work with all of the professionals who make up UAMS and the College of Health Professions.”
Both Gentry and Baker are looking forward to what’s next.
“I look forward to enjoying my retirement with my husband,” Gentry said. “We both like reading and traveling. I also look forward to discovering my calling for the next phase of my life.”
Travel is definitely on the menu for Baker.
“My wife and I plan on doing lots of hiking, camping, fishing, boating and other outdoor activities in Arkansas and throughout the United States,” he said. “We also plan on some camping, hiking, fishing trips to Canada and Alaska. If I can get my wife’s permission, I would love to complete a through hike of the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide trail.”
Dana Moser, Ph.D., succeeds Gentry as director of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Master’s Program in Speech-Language Pathology, while Greg Robinson, Ph.D., is the new director of the Ph.D. program in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Layla Simmons, M.Ed., succeeds Baker as director of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program.