State Assembly Website

FALL WORKSHOP INFORMATION

Arkansas State Assembly

Association of Surgical Technologists

Harvesting Credits: Reap Knowledge and Refine Skills

Fall Workshop and Business Meeting

Where: Center for Economic Development-University of Arkansas Fort Smith

Bakery District

70 S. 7th Street, Suite D (Map to Facility)

Fort Smith, AR 72901

When: October 4, 2025 (8:00-4:30 Central Time)

AGENDA

7:15-7:45: Participant sign in & continental breakfast

7:45-8:00: Welcome & announcements

8:00-9:50: Holly Falcon, CST, FAST, AST Past President: Take this Job & Love it

9:50-10:00: Morning Break

10:00-10:50: Dr. Zane Moore, DPM- Common First Ray Procedures

11:00-11:50: Dr. Stephen Confer, MD FACS- Kidney Stone Procedures

12:00-12:45: Lunch Provided

12:45-1:00: Meet the BOD Candidates

1:00-1:50: Dr. Chase Stauffer, DO- Poke, Prod, & Explore: A Brief History of Human Experimentation & Ethics

2:00-2:50: Cynthia Lewis, CST, SA-C, FAST, ST-R & John Lewis, BS Meteorology, Senior Lead Forecaster National Weather Service- Extreme Weather & Patient Care First

2:50-3:00: Afternoon Break

3:00-3:45: BUSINESS MEETING PART I- Voting for BOD positions & National Conference Delegates

3:45-4:15: ELECTION RESULTS/SWEARING IN OF NEWLY ELECTED CANDIDATES

4:15-4:30: CLOSING AND DISMISSAL

4:30-5:00: BUSINESS MEETING PART II-Welcome new BOD & discuss spring Workshop

Cost/How to Register (ONLINE ONLY):

ARSA Member $40, Non-member $50, Student $20

Program has been approved for 6 CEUs by AST.

Pay with PayPal at http://ar.ast.org.

For more information, email Tamara Morgan at [email protected] or call 479-414-6720.

PLEASE NOTE:

Our supported local nonprofit is Get Real U, a program of the Ft. Smith Children’s Shelter. Please help us in supporting them buy bringing donations that will help with their immediate needs. Items needed are skin care items, deodorant, body wash, lotion, hair ties, scrunchies or head bands, fuzzy socks, journals or notebooks, healthy snacks (trail mix, granola bars, etc.)

Hotel Group Rate Information for Arkansas State Assembly

Courtyard Fort Smith Downtown for 110.00 USD per night (Double Rooms)

Last Day to Book: Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Start Date: Friday, October 03, 2025 End Date: Sunday, October 05, 2025

https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1755881314276&key=GRP&app=resvlink

REGISTER THROUGH PAYPAL

Highlights from the 2025 AST National Conference

In the picture: Rachel Clark is sworn in as AST Treasurer.

In the picture: Rachel Clark models her new AST jacket after accepting her role as Treasurer.

Arkansas State Assembly is proud to announce that our very own ARSA Secretary Rachel Clark was elected to the position of AST Treasurer at the 2025 National Conference in Orlando (held in June). Rachel is a CST/CSFA at Baptist Health in Fort Smith with a specialty in Heart Surgery and also holds the title of FAST and ST-R. At the conclusion of the second AST business meeting she was sworn in to a two year term. Congratulations Rachel!

In the picture: The ARSA Delegates for the 2025 AST National Conference in Orlando, FL included (from left) Deb Adair, CST, CSFA, FAST, ST-R, Director Kacie Denham, CST, ST-R, Secretary Rachel Clark, CST, CSFA, FAST, ST-R, Treasurer Cindy Lewis, CST, FAST, SA-C, ST-R, Vice President Tammy Schaefer, CST, CSFA, FAST, ST-R, and President Tamara Morgan, CST, FAST, ST-R.

ARSA attended the 55th Annual AST National Conference held in Orlando, FL in early June. We sent six delegates to the conference.

In the picture: ARSA Board members Cindy Lewis, Tammy Schaefer, Tamara Morgan, and Kacie Denham donated gift cards to the AST Conference charity.

In the picture: The lucky winner of a donated Android 15 Tablet was Emma Thompson of Indiana. She is shown with members of the ARSA Board.

ARSA donated gift cards to AST Conference charity Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital (OHAPH) for Children. Each year, OHAPH welcomes more than 20,000 babies across the system and care for the most fragile in one of the nation’s largest neonatal intensive care units. OHAPH offers award-winning pediatric specialty care and is central Florida's only pediatric Level One Trauma Center and ER.

ARSA also donated an Android 15 Tablet, equipped with a stylus, case, mouse, and wireless keyboard to the AST Student Forum. The forum is a student-focused event hosted by the AST Student Association (ASTSA). It provides a platform for surgical technology students to learn, network with professionals, and participate in leadership opportunities within the organization.

ARSA FAST members attending the 2025 FAST reception in Orlando, FL

In the picture: ARSA FAST members attending the 2025 FAST reception included (from left) Cindy Lewis, Tamara Morgan, Rachel Clark, Deb Adair, and Tammy Schaefer.

Finally, a Fellow of the Association of Surgical Technologists (FAST) reception was held. The FAST designation is awarded to individuals who have upheld the highest professional, ethical, and moral standards and traditions of surgical technology. These individuals are devoted to the advancement of the profession and improving the quality of surgical patient care. The eight ARSA members that hold the FAST title (and the year awarded) include Rachel Clark (2011), Katie Bishop (2015), Ashley Smith (2019), Deb Adair (2019), Cindy Lewis (2020), Tammy Schaefer (2023), Tamara Morgan (2024), and Kendra Thompson (2024).

Highlights from the 2025 Spring Workshop

Spring, 2025 Workshop (Photo 1)

ARSA Board honored the memory of past AST President, Kevin Craycraft, who passed away on March 3, 2025, by wearing bow tie pins specially made by Treasurer Cindy Lewis. Kevin was recognizable by his bow tie and his smile.

Spring, 2025 Workshop (Photo 2)

ARSA Treasurer Cindy Lewis and ARSA Secretary Rachel Clark collaborated to provide background information on the registration process through the Arkansas State Medical Board and emphasized the importance of registration.

Spring, 2025 Workshop (Photo 3)

The winners of the 2025 Daniel Castleberry Memorial Scholarship were Drew Logsdon (UA-Fort Smith) and Sydney Stephenson (UA-Fort Smith).

Link of Interest

More About the Daniel Castleberry Memorial Scholarship

The winner of our spa day raffle was Debbie Adair.

Our supported local charity for the 2025 spring workshop was the Jackson House in Hot Springs, AR. Assistant Director of the Jackson House, Tammy Jones, expressed her gratitude for everything that was donated by our ARSA Board, members, and students.

Highlights from the 2024 Fall Workshop and Business Meeting

Following the elections at our 2024 business meeting in Ft. Smith, a new secretary (Rachel Clark) and three new directors (Ashley Jones, Debra Morgan, & Angela Smith) were voted onto the Arkansas State Assembly of Surgical Technologists Board.

Fall, 2024 Workshop (Photo 1)

2024-2025 ARSA Board
Front Row (left to right): Secretary Rachel Clark, Treasurer Cynthia Lewis, Vice President Tammy Schaefer, President Tamara Morgan
Back row (left to right): Director Debra Morgan, Director Kacie Denham, Director Ashley Jones, Director Angela Smith

Fall, 2024 Workshop (Photo 2)

The ARSA Board was privileged to host Peggy Varnado, Vice President of the AST National Board, at our workshop & business meeting.

Fall, 2024 Workshop (Photo 3)

The ARSA Board presented Nicole Walton, the founder of Monarch 61, with donations from our fall workshop.

Fall, 2024 Workshop (Photo 4)

Leftover food from the workshop was donated to the Ft. Smith Ronald McDonald House. Carolyn Allen, of RMH, accepted the donated food from Treasurer Cynthia Lewis

Fall, 2024 Workshop (Photo 5)

Angela Smith won the prize from the raffle that benefits the ARSA Daniel Castleberry Memorial Scholarship Fund.