Arkansas State Assembly

09/01/2026

Registration is live on the website!
http://ar.ast.org

We can’t wait to see you all there.

08/19/2026

Our fall workshop and business meeting is coming up in October. If you are interested in running for a board position, please let us know! We would love to have fresh faces with fresh ideas!! We will be voting on three director positions and secretary.

07/22/2026

07/20/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14kR8oCiRvs/

07/14/2026

Save the date! We will be at the Bakery District again this fall. If you are interested in running for a board position, please let us know and we can get the appropriate paperwork to you. We will have a secretary position and three director positions available.

06/21/2026

The summer season is officially here! On the longest day of the year, we’re thankful for our CST® and CSFA® professionals for keeping their cool.

Wishing a safe and happy summer to all of our certified professionals!

06/21/2026

Introducing AST’s 2026-2027 Board of Directors. Eligible positions were elected at AST’s Surgical Technology Conference in Seattle, June 2.

Back row from left: Director Chris Blevins, MBA, AAS-ST, CST, FAST; Director Christopher Scott, CST, FAST; Director Jeff Walker, MHA, CST, FAST; Director Brooke Oliver, MEd, CST, FAST.

Front row from left: Director Kristie Cole, EdD(c), Med, CST, FAST; Secretary Jaime Lopez, CST, CSFA, RN, FAST; Vice President Dustin Cain, CST, CRCST, CHL, FAST; President Joe Charleman, DBA, CST, CSFA, FAST; Director Lisa Day, MA, CST, CSFA, FAST; Director Monica Thulon, CST, CSFA, FAST.

Not Pictured: Treasurer Rachel Clark, CST, CSFA, ST-R, FAST.

06/03/2026

Four of the eight FAST recipients in Arkansas attended the reception in Seattle, which celebrated all new recipients and honored those who hold the designation. Pictured below (L to R): Cynthia Lewis, Tammy Schaefer, Debbie Adair, and Tamara Morgan

06/03/2026

The Arkansas State Assembly for Surgical Technologists, alongside the Illinois, Tennessee, and Washington state assemblies, received the AST State Leadership Award for 2025 during the opening ceremony of the AST National Conference on Sunday, May 31, 2026. This distinction marks the third AST Leadership Award for ARSA, following previous recognitions in 2017 and 2021.

06/03/2026

The AST Foundation for Surgical Technology annually presents three Constellation Awards to distinguished educators, with two of this year's recipients hailing from Arkansas. Congratulations to Sheena Ramey, Treasurer of ARSA and faculty of Northwest Arkansas Community College, received the Rising Star award. Tammy Schaefer, Vice President of ARSA and Clinical Coordinator at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, was honored with the Shining Star award.