Janell Cecil, a registered nurse, has worked in women's health care for more than 25 years. She began her career as a clinical nurse at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. and the Humana Medical Center, but soon advanced to management positions in women's health. Cecil joined Baptist Memorial Health Care in 1995.

Cecil has been the administrator of Baptist Memorial Health Care's women's and children's services since 1997. In this role, she's worked with 17 hospitals to raise the level of care available for women and children in the tri-state areas of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. Her accomplishments in this position include the successful establishment of the first retail screening mammography center in the area, a perinatal outreach program, a newborn intensive care step-down unit and a pediatric emergency room. In addition, Cecil has been an advocate for physician peer review, continuing education for nurses and women's medical research.

Prior to joining Baptist's women's and children's services in 1995, Cecil served in a variety of positions at Saint Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. From 1992 to 1995, Cecil was the women's and children's specialty line manager, helping develop the nation's first female-friendly Women's Cardiac Assessment Center. Cecil also helped develop and implement a clinical advancement nurse program while serving as the clinical director of women's services from 1985 to 1995. Cecil's other positions at Saint Luke's include assistant patient care manager and patient education coordinator.

Cecil earned a master of science degree in Nursing from the University of Missouri, Kansas City in 1997. She also serves on a number of committees, including the medical subcommittee of the Shelby County Domestic Violence Task Force, the Committee on Pediatric Emergency Care and the early childhood collaborative task force.

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