UA Little Rock Welcomes New Foundation Fund Board Members
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is proud to announce the appointment of three distinguished alumni to the UA Little Rock Foundation Fund Board.
Rodney Abston, Misty Baugh, and Detrich Wiley will join the board in its mission to support the university’s long-term financial health and student success initiatives.
Abston, a 2001 MBA graduate, serves as senior vice president and commercial banking leader at Regions Bank, where he has worked for 17 years. He was recognized as the UA Little Rock School of Business Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 2023.
Abston is an active community leader, serving as a nine-year board member for Habitat for Humanity, where he chairs business development efforts. He is also a member of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce and Fifty for the Future. Abston and his wife, Tracy, have two sons, Blake and Phillip.
Baugh, a first-generation college graduate, earned both her Bachelor of Science in Accounting (2004) and Master of Science in Taxation (2010) from UA Little Rock while working full-time. She currently serves as vice president and director of tax at Simmons Bank, where she oversees corporate income tax, property tax, escheatment, and information reporting.
With 20 years of experience in multi-state corporate tax, Baugh is a certified public accountant who has also worked extensively in tax credit projects and mergers and acquisitions. She previously served on the Board of Directors for Reach Out and Read Arkansas and is an emeritus member of the Methodist Family Health Foundation Board.
Wiley, a 2003 mathematics graduate, is the director of market solutions management at Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield. She leads a team driving digital transformation and is recognized for her problem-solving expertise and commitment to excellence. Wiley was featured in Inviting Arkansas’ Women in STEAM in 2023 and is a graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock Class XXXVIII. She lives in Sherwood with her husband, Corrie, and their two sons, Jonathan and Peyton.
“We are thrilled to welcome Rodney, Misty, and Detrich to the Foundation Fund Board,” said Kristi Smith, associate vice chancellor for alumni and development at UA Little Rock. “Their professional expertise and deep commitment to our university will play a vital role in advancing our mission and expanding opportunities for our students.”
The UA Little Rock Foundation Fund Board plays a crucial role in fostering philanthropy and financial stewardship to support scholarships, academic programs, and institutional growth. Board members meet four times a year to oversee UA Little Rock Foundation Fund activities as well as serve as ambassadors for the university in the community, state, and region. With the addition of these accomplished alumni, the board continues to strengthen its impact on the university’s future.