FORT SMITH - Stephanie Whitaker, MSN, RN, CEN has been promoted to Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) of Sparks Health System. Whitaker has nearly 20 years of nursing experience. As CNO, she will provide oversight for nearly 1,200 employees at Sparks' hospitals in Fort Smith, Van Buren and more than 40 surrounding clinics.

She has served as the Assistant Chief Nursing Executive since August. Whitaker joined Sparks in 2015 as the Director of Emergency and Clinical Services, putting her responsible for one of the busiest emergency departments (Fort Smith) in the state with approximately 70,000 visits each year.

Whitaker earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Western Carolina University and a Master of Science in Nursing Leadership and Administration from Western Governors University. Whitaker's husband Seth is a local minister. The couple lives in Greenwood with their two children.