LITTLE ROCK - Pearl McElfish, Ph.D., has been promoted to vice chancellor of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Campus of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). McElfish has been serving as associate vice chancellor since Peter Kohler, M.D., retired as vice chancellor in 2016.

As vice chancellor, McElfish will lead all campus-wide efforts, provide leadership to ensure coordination across all UAMS programs in the region and work closely with area partners.

McElfish joined UAMS in 2010 as the study director of the National Children's Study for the Department of Pediatrics. In 2012, she was named the founding director of the Office of Community Health and Research. Then in 2015, she founded the Center for Pacific Islander Health, the first center in the United States that focuses solely on Pacific Islander health issues.

Prior to joining UAMS, McElfish worked for various community health organizations, improving efficiency and quality of care and developing strong, sustainability research and community health programs.

She holds a doctorate of philosophy in public policy from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.