North Little Rock attorney Tjuana Byrd is the recipient of the 2014 UALR Alumni Association President’s Award.

Byrd will be honored during the annual alumni awards luncheon in May. The honor is bestowed each year to an individual who has experienced career success along with demonstrated dedication to the university.

Byrd, a UALR graduate with a private law practice, has volunteered numerous hours at UALR and served as two-time chair of the UALR Foundation Fund Board of Directors.

After receiving her degree in criminal justice from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, she earned her juris doctorate from the UALR William H. Bowen School of Law.

A large part of her practice involves working with juveniles and their families, where she has earned a reputation for treating young people with care and compassion.

Byrd began her legal career in the Pulaski County Public Defender’s office. She is the city attorney for Wrightsville, assistant city attorney for North Little Rock, Sherwood public defender, and a dependency neglect attorney ad litem.

She has served and rendered decisions on a wide variety of cases as Special Judge in several divisions of Pulaski County Circuit Court, the majority of them Juvenile Court.

Byrd is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association, Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers, W. Harold Flowers Law Society, University of Arkansas Alumni Association, a lifetime member of the UALR Alumni Association, and former member of the central Arkansas chapter of National Association of Women Business Owners.

She is also an active member of St. Mark Baptist Church where she serves on the Senior Ushers Ministry, Ambassadors for Christ Ministry, third grade Children’s Church teacher, and co-director for the Watson Primary Ensemble choir for children ages 3 to 11.