Arkansas Children's, a children's health care system based in Little Rock, Arkansas, announced Wednesday the hiring of an experienced health care attorney to lead its legal team.

Brent Thompson will begin his role as senior vice president and chief legal officer Jan. 7. He replaces Rhonda McKinnis who served as senior vice president and general counsel. A spokesperson for Arkansas Children's said she is now working with Phoenix Children's Hospital as corporate counsel. Thompson is the first person at Arkansas Children's to hold the title of chief legal officer.

Thompson was not available for comment Friday.

“Brent was drawn to our mission of championing children because one of his two sons spent several days in an NICU right after birth,” Arkansas Children's president and CEO Mary Doderer said in a news release announce the hire. “During his son's stay, Brent experienced the same type of passion for making children better today and healthier tomorrow that is characteristic of our team. We're excited to welcome this collaborative, mission-minded leader with an inclination for problem-solving.”

Thompson is currently the chief legal officer of the Cape Fear Valley Health System in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He was also assistant general counsel for BlueCross BlueShield of Oklahoma and was legal counsel to LifeCare Health Services. Thompson worked as a partner at Rodolf & Todd in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where practiced health care and medical malpractice defense litigation. He also worked at a senior associate at Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice.  Thompson graduated from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 1995.

Arkansas Children's is the only health care system in Arkansas dedicated to only caring for children, according to the news release.

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