Dr. Lori Hensley of Ouachita Baptist University will visit the Arkadelphia Rotary Club August 19 to share more information about her journey and pediatric cancer research with undergraduates. 

Dr. Hensley is chair and professor of the Department of Biology at Ouachita Baptist University where she is beginning her 15th year. She earned a bachelor of science in biology at Bowling Green State University in Ohio and a doctorate of philososphy in molecular pathology from the University of Tennessee for Health Sciences in Memphis. Hensley completed graduate and post-doctoral fellowships at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital working with Dr. Suzanne Baker on Ewing’s sarcoma, a pediatric bone cancer, and at UAMS with Dr. Philip Kern in endocrinology before coming to Ouachita.

She has two boys, 12-year-old Isaac and 9-year-old Braden.

Max Braswell
Max Braswell is the Executive Vice President of the Arkansas Forestry Association, having served in that capacity since August 2008. Previously, he served as Manager of Communications and Government Relations for Domtar Industries Inc. in Arkansas, from 2001 to 2008, and Communications Manager for Georgia-Pacific’s Ashdown Mill from 1992 until Domtar purchased the facility in 2001. He started his career in the forest products industry with Georgia-Pacific in Crossett in 1990. Max is responsible for the overall management of the Association and provides leadership to the team of four that that includes Jennifer Lambert, administrative director, Rebecca Neely, communications director, and Rob Beadel, director of forestry education for AFA’s Education Foundation. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Society of Association Executives and is a member of the Arkansas Society of Professional Lobbyists. He has served as President of the Arkansas Forest and Paper Council, and before beginning his employment with AFA was a member of the AFA board and chairman of the communications committee. Max graduated from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Ark., in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree in communications. He is originally from DeWitt, AR.

Rob Beadel
Rob Beadel is in his 8th year as the Director of Forestry Education for the Arkansas Forestry Association Education Foundation (AFAEF). In this position he serves as the state coordinator for Project Learning Tree (PLT) and also coordinates landowner education programs throughout the state. In 1995, Rob graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology from Arkansas Tech University. He has been involved in Environmental Education since 1995 having worked for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. Rob had served on several environmental education boards at both the state and national levels. He has served on the Arkansas Environmental Education Association board of directors completing two terms as the Board President and on the North American Association for
Environmental Education (NAAEE) Affiliate Steering Committee.