Fast 15: Jenna McEvoy

Jenna McEvoy initially wanted to go to law school but found a love for public health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

The Chickamauga, Ga., native moved from Texas to Northwest Arkansas for college. McEvoy earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Arkansas in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The University of Arkansas, which was my target law school, was still doing completely remote classes, so COVID kind of derailed those plans,” she said. “I took a temp position with UAMS in 2021 expecting to only be there for a brief time. Well, I figured out what I wanted to do, and I ended up really loving UAMS and public health. When a full-time position came open, I applied and thankfully got it. I’ve really enjoyed my time there ever since.”

After the temporary role, her first full-time position was as an administrative coordinator. Two years ago, she became a clinical research coordinator I before being named to her existing position in 2025.

She helps lead complex research initiatives that improve health outcomes for rural and underserved communities across Arkansas. She’s played a key role in coordinating multiple community-based studies, including initiatives focused on improving child nutrition in rural schools and delivering healthy food to patients with Type 2 diabetes. 

In one of her most notable accomplishments, McEvoy led a team of interns and multiple staff and worked with principal investigators to successfully complete a multimillion-dollar rural school nutrition research project ahead of schedule. She also traveled throughout the region to work with community partners and clinics, ensuring that research programs are implemented effectively and reach the communities they are designed to serve.

“Being able to see the impact that my work had on those individuals and being able to build that rapport and trust in an institutional organization, that is something that I think I have really enjoyed out of my career and has definitely been one of my biggest achievements so far,” she said.

Recently, she started supporting the Maternal and Reproductive Community Health (MaRCH) Center or Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) initiative, where she helps coordinate processes that bring together researchers, senior institutional leaders and community stakeholders.

McEvoy enjoys stand-up paddleboarding, reading and spending time with her 4-month-old son.