Executive Advisory Committee
Meeting – 11/13/2023
Meeting – 2/14/2024
Members Present:
Michael Mills (Associate Dean, UCA); Donna Wake (Assessment Director, UCA); Sunny Styles-Foster (Interim Department Chair, UCA); Bethany Ratermann (Senior Director of Communications, LISA Academy); Elise Hampton (Principal, North Little Rock Middle School); Holly Howard (Teacher Bentonville High School); Karen Norton (Instructional Specialist, Arch Ford ESC); Karen Lasker (Director of Recruitment and Student Services, Conway School District); Quintin Cain (Principal, Dunbar Middle School, LRSD); and Julie Workman, (Teacher Center Coordinator, Arch Ford ESC)
Initial Programs
Elementary K-6
Members Present:
Ashley Cox (UCA), Jamie Dallas (UCA), Jenny Chism (Maumelle Charter – 3rd grade teacher), McKinley Green (Maumelle Charter – 1st grade teacher), Dee Dee Cain (UCA), Janet Filer (UCA), Tina Cope, Ashley Wilson (UCA), Stefanie Sorbet (UCA), Gary Logan (North Little Rock – Executive Director of Student-Centered Support Services), Carise Echols (Theodore Jones Elementary, Conway Schools – principal), Amber Brantley (UCA), Dayna Lewis (Woodrow Cummings Elementary, Conway Schools – principal), Mark Lewis (Jim Stone Elementary, Conway Schools- principal), and Sunny Styles-Foster (UCA – ELSE Interim Department Chair)
Middle Level
Participating Members: Dawn McLain (North Little Rock- teacher), Naomi Sexson (Conway- teacher), Anthony Miller (Greenbrier – teacher), Gina James (North Little Rock – teacher), Janie Walburn (Conway-
teacher), Jennifer Barber (Conway- teacher), Jessica Franklin (Conway- teacher), Elise Hampton (North Little Rock- principal), Christon McClure (North Little Rock – teacher)
Special Education (UG, MAT)
Members Present: Dee Dee Cain (Faculty, UCA), Keith Lenz (Faculty, UCA), Deanna Rice (Faculty, UCA), Shari Mcgehee (Faculty, UCA), Stephanie Sorbet (Faculty, UCA), Ashley Cox (Faculty, UCA), Robin Stripling (Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator, Arkansas Department of Education), Angela Ladd (Teacher, Jim Stone Conway), Catie Overton (Teacher, Ellen Smith), Courtney Leach (Parent)
MAT (K-6, 4-8, 7-12)
Advanced Programs
ASTL
Members: Jeff Whittingham (UCA), Jacob Sisson (Arch Ford Co-op), Cindy Green (Virtual Arkansas), Alicia Pack-Thompson (Clinton Junior High School), Beth Lasley (Courtway Middle School), Tracy Trumble, Ashleigh Castles (Carolyn Lewis Elementary School), Starla Ritter (Carl Stuart Middle School), Catherine Miller (Carl Stuart Middle School), and Morgan Rock (UACCM)
CLEI PhD
GATE
Members Present:
Brandon Rout (Project Lead the Way Teacher/Facilitator, Jonesboro School District), Sarah Cooper (AP District Coordinator & GT Facilitator, Paragould), Mike Gray (Gifted and Talented Facilitator, Springdale Public Schools), Alicia Cotabish (UCA), Rachelle Miller (UCA), and Nykela Jackson (UCA).
ITEC
Members Present:
Kirsten Wilson, ASCD-ISTE; Derek Ratchford, EAST facilitator, Sonora Middle School-Springdale School District; Lisa Russell, Arch Ford Education Cooperative; Vicki Parish, Instructional Designer UCA, ITEC program Alum; Stephanie Best, Clinical Instructor ITEC; and Dr. Allison Freed, Coordinator of ITEC program
LIBM
Members: Dr. Erin Shaw (UCA); Dr. Jud Copeland (UCA); Dr. Jeff Whitthingham (UCA); Ms. Anne Cowie (UCA); Ms. Brittany Fleming (R.E. Baker Elementary Library Media Specialist for Bentonville School District); Ms. Ouida Cunningham (Wonder Jr. High School Library Media Specialist for West Memphis School District); Ms. Cassandra Barnett (Program Advisor for School Libraries for Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education)
Reading
Members: Dr. Amy Thompson (Program Coordinator), Dr. Shoudong Feng (Faculty), Dr. Susan Perry (Faculty), Dr. Brandy Walthall (Faculty), Mrs. Sheri Hight (Texas ISD, Dyslexia Specialist, Alumni and Adjunct Instructor), Lauren Isom (Greenbrier Public Schools, Assistant Principal, Alumni)
School Counseling
Members Present:
Millie Engler (Greenbrier Junior High School-School Counselor), Rebecca Camarigg (Bentonville West High School- College and Career Coach), Melinda Shuffield (Batesville Elementary- School Counselor), Dr. Odunola Oyeniyi (UCA), and Dr. Valerie Couture (UCA – Advisory Board Chair)
SLMA/EDLP
Special Education – (BK, GC, MSE, Resource)
Members Present: Dee Dee Cain (Faculty, UCA), Keith Lenz (Faculty, UCA), Deanna Rice (Faculty, UCA), Shari Mcgehee (Faculty, UCA), Stephanie Sorbet (Faculty, UCA), Ashley Cox (Faculty, UCA), Robin Stripling (Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator, Arkansas Department of Education), Angela Ladd (Teacher, Jim Stone Conway), Catie Overton (Teacher, Ellen Smith), Courtney Leach (Parent)