2014 – Bobby “Tab” Townsell (BS in Political Science, 1984)
Bobby “Tab” Townsell graduated with a BS degree in Political Science from the University of Central Arkansas in May 1984. While a student at UCA, Tab served for four years in the Student Senate and served as President of the Student Government Association (SGA). Tab earned an Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Texas Christian University in 1986. Tab completed an internship with Senator Dale Bumpers in Washington DC in the summer of 1985. He served on the Transportation Advisory Committee and the Planning Commission in Conway. Tab served as mayor of Conway for 18 years from January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2016. From January 2017 to January 2023, Tab served as Executive Director of Metroplan, which has been the federally designated metropolitan planning organization in central Arkansas since 1972.
2015 – Preston Scroggin (BS in Political Science, 1989)
2016 – Janet (Peebles) Harris (BS in Public Administration, 1995)
2017 – Brian S. Miller (BS in Political Science, 1992)
Brian Miller was born in Pine Bluff and grew up in Helena, Arkansas. Upon graduating from Helena-West Helena Central High School in 1985, Brian entered active duty in the U.S. Navy in June 1985. He served as a Boatswains Mate on the USS New Jersey from 1986 to 1989. Brian served in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 1989 to 1992. After being honorably discharged from active duty, Brian attended Phillips County Community College of the University of Arkansas in Helena, and he received an Associate of Arts (AA) degree in 1991. Brian graduated with BS degree in Political Science from the University of Central Arkansas in 1992. He earned a JD degree from Vanderbilt Law School in Nashville, Tennessee in 1995. Brian joined the law firm of Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston, P.C. in Memphis, Tennessee in 1995. He opened the Miller Law Firm in Helena, Arkansas in 1998. Brian was elected City Attorney for Helena in 1998, and he served in that position from 1999 to 2006. He also served as City Attorney for the towns of Lakeview and Edmondson, and he served as city judge for Holly Grover. Brian served as Deputy Prosecuting Attorney of Phillips County from 2000 to 2006. In 2007, Brian was appointed to the Arkansas Court of Appeals by Governor Mike Huckabee. On October 16, 2007, Judge Miller was nominated by President George W. Bush to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Judge Miller was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 10, 2008, and he was sworn in as U.S. District Court Judge on April 17, 2008. On July 23, 2012, Judge Miller became Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
2018 – Robin (Hudson) Gifford (BS in Public Administration, 2005)
2019 – James D. (J.D.) Gingrich (BA in Political Science, 1977)
James D. Gingerich graduated with a BA Degree in Political Science from the University of Central Arkansas in 1977. J.D. earned a Juris Doctorate (JD) degree from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville School of Law in 1980, and he earned a Master of Laws Degree in Commercial Law from the University of Bristol in the UK in 1982. J.D. served in several capacities at UCA between 1980 and 1988, including Instructor of Political Science (1980-1982), Assistant Professor of Political Science (1982-1985), Associate Professor of Political Science (1985-1988), and University Legal Counsel in the Office of the President (1980-1988). J.D. was appointed and served as Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts of the Supreme Court of Arkansas in Little Rock from June 1988 to March 2017. He served as Director of the State Courts Partnership at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock-William H. Bowen School of Law (2017-2022), and Dean of the ICM Fellows Program-National Center for State Courts in Williamsburg, Virginia (2022-2025). J.D. was a member of several professional associations, including the Arkansas Judicial Council, Conference of State Court Administrators, American Judicature Society, Arkansas Political Science Association, and the Arkansas Bar Association. J.D. is also the author of numerous publications in the UALR Law Journal, The Arkansas Law Review, The Arkansas Lawyer, and The Midsouth Political Science Review. In 2015, J.D. was presented the Kenneth R. Palmer Distinguished Service Award during the joint annual meeting of the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators.
2021 – Curtis Barnett (BS in Public Administration, 1986)
Curtis Barnett graduated with a BS degree in Public Administration from the University of Central Arkansas in 1986. He earned a Master’s of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville in 1990. He is also a graduate of the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management’s Advanced Executive Program. Curtis has earned several professional designations, including the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) and the Professional in the Academy of Healthcare Management (PAHM). While a student, he was President of the Student Government Association (SGA) at UCA. In 1993, Curtis began his career with Arkansas BlueCross and BlueShield as a Primary Care Network plan manager. During his time with the company, Curtis served as manager to the Product Development, and was a Director of the Enterprise Managed Pharmacy Program. In 1999, he became the vice president of Operations for BlueAdvantage Administrators of Arkansas. Since 2008, Curtis has served as president, chief executive officer (CEO), and a member of the board of directors of USAble Cooperation. In 2014, Curtis became the Senior Vice President of External Operations for the Arkansas BlueCross and BlueShield. In January 2017, Curtis became the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Arkansas BlueCross and BlueShield.
2022 – Amy (Bynum) Whitehead (BS in Public Administration, 2006)
Amy (Bynum) Whitehead graduated with a BS degree in Public Administration from the University of Central Arkansas in 2006. She earned a MS degree in Community and Economic Development from UCA in 2008. Amy served as the Assistant Vice President for Community and Workforce Development in the Division of Outreach and Community Engagement at UCA. In this role, Amy provided leadership to the Center for Community and Economic Development (CCED), Community Development Institute (CDI), Arkansas Coding Academy (ArCA), and online workforce initiatives. She has received two gubernatorial appointments to the Arkansas Geographic Information Systems Board. Amy was a regular contributor to the Arkansas Municipal League City & Town magazine. Amy served as Vice Chair of the Community Development Council, and she was appointed to a three-year term on the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Community Development Advisory Council in 2016. Amy was appointed to serve as Chief of Staff at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA).
2023 – James “Cody” Hiland (BS in Political Science, 1994)
James “Cody” Hiland graduated with a BS degree in Political Science from the University of Central Arkansas in 1994. Cody earned a JD degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law in 1998. Cody was a Partner at Hiland, Thomas & Cox Law Firm from 2006 to 2010. Cody served as the Prosecuting Attorney in the 20th Judicial District of Arkansas from 2011 to 2017. Cody was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas on June 29, 2017, and he was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on September 28, 2017. Cody served as Chief Legal Counsel for the Arkansas Department of Public Safety from 2020 to 2022. After the death of Justice Robin F. Wynne, Cody was appointed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders as an Associate Justice of the Arkansas State Supreme Court in 2023. In December 2024, Justice Hiland was appointed by Governor Sanders to fill the vacancy on the Arkansas State Supreme Court left by the departure of Justice Courtney Hudson.
2024 – Dakisha (Boone) Wesley (BS in Public Administration, 2000) and Dexter Pearson (BS in Public Administration, 2001)
Dakisha Wesley graduated with a BS degree in Public Administration from the University of Central Arkansas in 2000. Dakisha participated in the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ Urban Fellowship Program as a Graduate Fellow from 2000 – 2002, and she earned a MPA from the University of North Texas in 2002. In 2002, Dakisha began work as a financial analyst in the Budget and Research Office in the City of Grand Prairie, Texas. After three years, Dakisha worked in the City of Fort Worth where she held several positions including management analyst, senior management analyst, and Assistant Director of Municipal Court Services. In 2017, Dakisha moved to Lake County, Illinois to serve as the Assistant County Administrator. Currently, Dakisha serves as the Assistant County Administrator in Buncombe County in North Carolina. In addition to her work as a county administrator, Dakisha is a member of the Vaya Health Board of Directors. Vaya Health manages publicly funded behavioral health and intellectual/ developmental disabilities services in 23 western North Carolina counties. She is the Chairperson of the Buncombe County Justice Resource Advisory Council. The Council is a collaborative initiative with leadership from Buncombe County and representatives from the criminal justice and court system focusing on systemic planning and coordination for crucial needs in the criminal justice system. Dakisha also serves on the Montreat College – Asheville Regional Criminal Justice & Public Administration Advisory Board.
Dexter Pearson graduated with a BS degree in Public Administration from the University of Central Arkansas in 2001. From 2003 to 2010, Dexter served as a legislative assistant for Congressman Vic Snyder in Washington DC. In this position, he served as the chief policy advisor to Congressman Snyder on agriculture, telecommunications, veterans, homeland security, housing, small business, and science/technology policy matters before Congress. He served for a year as a senior staff member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. As a committee staffer, Dexter provided counsel to the chairperson and members of the committee on rural development policy and served as the chief policy advisor on agricultural research, education, extension, and civil rights. From 2011 to 2012, Dexter served as the Acting Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization where he was responsible for the overall leadership, management, and administration of the Department’s small and disadvantaged business activities. In 2012, Dexter became the Associate Director of the USDA Office of Advocacy and Outreach where he worked for two years where he led USDA efforts to expand relationships and partnerships to benefit rural America by developing and implementing outreach programs with small and beginning farmers, community-based organizations, and land-grant colleges and universities. Dexter currently serves as the USDA Outreach Advisor for Community & Economic Development. He has been in this role since 2014. In his current position in the USDA, Dexter leads efforts to facilitate the development of rural communities through identifying and partnering with community assets-small businesses, higher education institutions, local community organizations, and elected officials in rural communities across the U.S.