Arkansas Children's Names Yoder Next EVP & Chief Financial Officer

LITTLE ROCK, AR. (Oct. 28, 2025) – After a months-long nationwide search, Arkansas Children’s has named Brandon Yoder, C.P.A., M.B.A., as the system’s next executive vice president and chief financial officer. He starts Dec. 1, aligning with the late December retirement of CFO Gena Wingfield, who served more than 40 years with Arkansas Children’s.

Yoder brings more than two decades of healthcare financial leadership, most recently serving as vice president of finance at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. In this role, he oversaw corporate finance, accounting, financial reporting, treasury, grants accounting, and financial systems, in addition to financial operations leadership for physician practices, academic programs, and major service lines, including the Aflac Cancer Center and Marcus Autism Center.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Brandon as he steps into this critical role, succeeding Gena Wingfield’s remarkable 40-plus years of service,” said Arkansas Children’s President & CEO Marcy Doderer. “It takes a special kind of leader to honor such a powerful legacy while steering us into the future, and Brandon has the strategic brilliance and dedication to integrity required.”

Brandon’s values-driven leadership style and deep expertise in health system finances positions him well to help guide Arkansas Children’s through its largest-ever expansion — a $370 million investment to enhance patient care, facilities and medical innovation.

His career also includes finance leadership roles at Corewell Health, Franciscan Health and Beacon Health System.

A Certified Public Accountant, Yoder holds a Master of Business Administration from Indiana University, and earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Purdue University.

Brandon and his wife of 30 years, Jennifer, will move to Little Rock.

ABOUT ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S

Arkansas Children's is the only health care system in the state solely dedicated to caring for Arkansas' 850,000 children. The private, non-profit organization includes two pediatric hospitals with 361 licensed beds, a pediatric research institute and USDA nutrition center, a philanthropic foundation, a nursery alliance, statewide clinics, and many education and outreach programs — all focused on fulfilling a promise to define and deliver unprecedented child health. Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) is a Magnet-recognized facility in Little Rock operating the state’s only Level I pediatric trauma center; the state's only burn center; the state's only Level IV neonatal intensive care unit; the state's only pediatric intensive care unit; the state’s only pediatric surgery program with Level 1 verification from the American College of Surgeons (ACS); and the state's only nationally recognized pediatric transport program. Arkansas Children’s is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report in seven pediatric subspecialties (2025-2026): Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology & Lung Surgery and Urology. Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW), the first and only pediatric hospital in the northwest Arkansas region, is a Level IV pediatric trauma center. ACNW operates an inpatient unit that will expand in 2026; a surgical unit with five operating rooms; outpatient clinics offering over 20 subspecialties; diagnostic services; imaging capabilities; occupational therapy services; and northwest Arkansas' only pediatric emergency department. Generous philanthropic and volunteer engagement has sustained Arkansas Children's since it began as an orphanage in 1912, and today ensures the system can deliver on its promise of unprecedented child health. To learn more, visit archildrens.org.