APAC Instructors

Andrea Alford is a leader, consultant and trainer with 17 years of human resources experience. As Executive Director of the Real Estate Commission, Andrea brings a unique blend of private and public sector experience to her leadership approach. Prior to working for the Commission, Andrea was Staffing Services Manager for a professional staffing firm, where she earned the national Certified Staffing Professional designation.

In 2011, Andrea achieved the national Certified Public Manager® designation in addition to the Arkansas Governmental Manager designation the year before that. In 2012, she served as President of the Arkansas Society of Certified Public Managers.

Andrea is also active with the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO), having served as Senior District Vice President in 2016 and District Vice President in 2021. She was on the Board of Directors from 2013 to 2016 and 2019 to 2021, and she has also served on multiple committees.

Dr. Joyvin Benton is the Senior Gift Officer at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), where she oversees the cultivation and engagement of major donors. She works closely with the Vice Chancellor of Advancement to cultivate and steward major gifts and partnerships with corporations and foundations. Dr. Benton received her PhD from Rutgers University where she studied systems and policy, with a focus on education policy. During her tenure at Rutgers, she honed her evaluation skills, evaluating several local, state, and national programs. Joyvin believes that research and evaluation are the keys to building a strong organizational infrastructure.

In 2017, she was named one of the top 20 emerging nonprofit leaders by the Little Rock Young Nonprofit Professionals Network and in 2018 she had the honor of being one of twelve emerging leaders from across the country selected for the Independent Sector, Next Generation Fellowship. In 2019, she was selected to participate in the American Express Leadership Academy Global Summit. Participating in the Global Summit allowed Dr. Benton an opportunity to interact with and learn from leaders from all over the world. In 2020, she participated in Leadership Arkansas, where she engaged with nonprofit and business leaders from all over the state. These fellowships have provided her with a greater insight into state government as well as the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, and have increased her leadership skills, expanded her network, and provided opportunities to collaborate and work with people and organizations across the country.

Dr. Bailey Blackburn is an associate professor and graduate coordinator in the Department of Applied Communication at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She holds a PhD in Human Communication, with a focus in restructured family communication.

Dr. Blackburn is a published researcher, professor, and certified group facilitator in the fields of conflict transformation and family resilience. Her facilitation experience primarily focuses on conflict management, emotional intelligence, and promoting more collaborative work environments.

Amber Booth-McCoy is CEO of The Diversity Booth, Inc (TDB), an inclusion, equity, and social justice consulting firm. TDB is experienced in co-creating sustainable, measurable, and inclusive cultures. In 2020, TDB was awarded Ark-AHEAD’s Social Justice Award for “contributions to raising awareness and advancing social justice on local, state, and national levels.”

Amber is a proud Little Rock native and graduate of the University of Arkansas Little Rock. She is currently finishing her graduate studies in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Social Justice at Adler University. Prior to her graduate work, Amber served as an internal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultant at UAMS for over 10 years.

Whether due to her TEDx, “Cause of Death: Kind and Colorblind” or her DEI-centered written works found in Forbes Magazine and other well-known publications, Amber is considered an inclusive thought leader in her field.

Millicent Boykin has an extensive background in nonprofit administration, community engagement, as well as program expansion and strategic partnership development. In 2022, Boykin became the Director of Statewide Initiatives for OneStar. For 20 years prior to that she was Chief Program Officer for VolunteerNow, one of the most active volunteer centers in the country. Boykin serves as a community connector, convener and capacity builder to strengthen the sector. She leads initiatives that leverage the power of volunteerism to improve and sustain communities.

In her spare time, she consults with nonprofits and educational institutions on mission advancement through innovative engagement strategies. Her focus is on shifting client thinking from “obstacles to opportunities.”

Boykin is an active community volunteer and serves on the boards of Reading Partners North Texas, Best Buddies Dallas/Fort Worth and the Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation. In addition, Millicent is a Leadership Dallas alum, member of the Rotary Club of Dallas – Uptown, and past chair of the Diversity Leadership Council of the American Red Cross. She was honored as HOBY Alum of the Year by the Texas North chapter, received a special citation for Volunteer Excellence from the American Red Cross North Texas Region, and has been featured as a “Hometown Hero” with Fox 4.

Boykin was born in East Texas, but ventured north to the “Windy City” (aka Chicago) for college and holds a degree in Psychology from Northwestern University. Boykin’s passion for service and engaging others to positively impact their community is evident through one of her favorite quotes, “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something.  And I will not let what I cannot do; interfere with what I can do.” ― Edward Everett Hale

Lisa Carver is the President of Moxie Consulting, Inc., which provides consulting, strategic planning, and training solutions to a variety of organizations from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies across the United States. Lisa also has extensive experience designing and facilitating training for public sector employees.

Dr. April Chatham-Carpenter (Ph.D., University of Oklahoma) is a Professor of Applied Communication at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where she serves as Department Chair of the Department of Applied Communication. Previous to coming to UA Little Rock, she served as Professor of Communication Studies and Interim Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Graduate College at the University of Northern Iowa. She researches issues such as innovation and change, use of communication to manage difficult dialogues, transformations in online teaching, and assessment of the impact of initiatives to effect change within the higher education industry.

Judith Faust sometimes describes herself as “an organization junkie,” having long been fascinated by how organizations work, and especially by what community-based nonprofits can accomplish. She’s retired from the faculty at the University of Arkansas Little Rock, having for two decades taught graduate students in social work about nonprofit management and community practice. Her own work has included directing a program for runaway and homeless youth, a management-support organization for Arkansas nonprofits, and the state’s Division of Children and Family Services. She volunteers presently with KUAR, the Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church, and pretty much whomever asks her.

In case you wonder about such things, her undergraduate degree—a double major in journalism and philosophy—was earned from the University of Kansas, and her graduate degree—an MSW with a concentration in community organization and planning—from Tulane University.

Shelby Fiegel is the Director of the University of Central Arkansas Center for Community and Economic Development (CCED) and the Community Development Institute (CDI). She is an Honors graduate of Arkansas State University and holds a degree in public relations with minors in marketing and English. Shelby is a certified Professional Community and Economic Developer (PCED), designated by the Community Development Council, and is a 2016 graduate of CDI.

She has also completed the Mid-South Basic Economic Development Course. In 2017, Shelby received the New Professional Award from the Arkansas Community Development Society. She currently serves as the Ex Officio (previously served as Vice President of Membership and as Vice President of Technology) for the Arkansas Community Development Society, serves as UCA Staff Senate Secretary, is a member of the Breakthrough Solutions Advisory Board, Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and the PRSA Arkansas Chapter. Shelby serves on the Conway Historic District Commission and is an Arkansas Municipal League City & Town magazine contributor.

She is a graduate of the inaugural class of the Conway Area Leadership Institute (CALI) in 2017, is a Certified Strategic Doing Workshop Leader, a member of LeadAR Class 19, and a Certified Gallup Strengths Coach.

Dr. Peter Gess

Dr. Peter Gess is the Economic Policy Director at Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, a leadership, research, and advocacy nonprofit organization. In that role, he promotes fiscal and economic policies that support all Arkansas children and their families, ensuring they have the resources and opportunities to thrive.

Gess previously served as Professor of Politics and Environmental Studies, Associate Provost for Engaged Learning, and Director of International Programs at Hendrix College. He has taught courses in public administration and policy. He earned his doctorate in public administration from the University of Georgia, and has worked or consulted for all three levels of government.

Before coming to Hendrix, Gess helped launch the International Center for Democratic Governance at the University of Georgia, a public service unit providing training and technical assistance to subnational governments in developing nations. Gess began his international career through US Peace Corps service. In the mid-1990s, he was an environmental awareness advisor with the Polish national park system.

Dr. Malcolm Glover is a certified conflict mediator and wellness counselor, an educator, and a humanitarian who helps transform teams, organizations, and communities. Dr. Glover works at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the global leader in space exploration. Within NASA’s Earth Science Division, he serves as Secretariat for the Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (JEDI) Working Group. He also supports various programs within the Planetary Science Division as the Equity and Community Engagement Coordinator for Transform to Open Science (TOPS), a NASA Open-Source Science Initiative. Before joining NASA, Dr. Glover engaged in efforts that brought about strategic change as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program Manager for Booz Allen Hamilton, a global consulting firm with more than 100 years of experience helping business, government, and military leaders solve their most complex problems.

An influential voice in efforts that promote employee wellbeing, scholastic achievement, global development, and civic participation; Dr. Glover received a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, a Master of Public Service from University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, a Graduate Certificate in Conflict Mediation from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies from the University of Central Arkansas. He also has professional certifications in Wellness Counseling from Cornell University, Negotiation and Dispute Resolution from Harvard Law School, and Social Impact Partnerships from Georgetown University.

As a thought leader and crisis manager with an unwavering commitment to advancing reconciliation, Dr. Glover has worked with PBS, NPR, the United States Agency for International Development, the Kettering Foundation, and several other institutions. In every endeavor, he strives to build coalitions, improve outcomes, and empower people.

Tabbi Kinion is a professional leadership trainer and coach who helps public sector managers unlock their leadership potential to build cohesive, high-impact teams that transform their communities. Before stepping into solopreneurship in January 2024, she was the Education Division Chief for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission from 2018 – 2023. This included managing a team of more than 80 staff members at 10 facilities and in 12 statewide education programs. As part of her work, she built an internal emerging leaders program for education staff, led multiple action planning processes and implementation, navigated all sorts of human resources challenges, worked hard to build a culture where staff brought their whole selves to work, worked closely with agency leadership, and became a master at keeping tabs on hundreds of moving pieces at once. Before joining the Commission, she was the Statewide Education Coordinator for 13 years at Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

She has a Master’s Degree in Biology from Miami University’s Global Field Program and a Bachelor’s in Natural Resources Management from Colorado State University. She is also a 2023 Certified Public Manager program graduate through the Arkansas Public Administration Consortium.

Dr. Karen Kuralt is Associate Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She also teaches online courses in business and technical writing in the university’s Department of Rhetoric and Writing, where she served as the MA program coordinator for 12 years.

She holds a Ph.D. in English from Purdue University and a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Utah.

A winner of the College of Social Sciences and Communication Faculty Excellence Award for Public Service, Dr. Kuralt has served as a science editor and workplace writing trainer with national and local organizations including the National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR), the Arkansas Department of Human Services, Affirmative Risk Management, the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health (CTEH), the Central Arkansas Library System, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, and Acxiom. She is also a member of the board of directors at Wildwood Park for the Arts, where she serves as the park’s publicity coordinator.

Marie Lindquist is a collaborative leader, consultant, and facilitator. Her passion is building impactful and highly engaged organizations, teams, and events. Her consulting work has included facilitating strategic planning and visioning processes, turning in-person events into engaging online experiences, and instructing online and in-person facilitation training.

Lindquist’s full-time work over the past 30 years has focused on connecting higher education resources with community needs and opportunities. Accomplishments include creating new programs such as APAC’s Professional Development Workshop series; developing policies to meet international standards and increasing field partnerships from 10 to 250 for the Clinton School; creating an award-winning leadership program at Rhodes College; and writing a successful $4 million grant application section.

She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Arkansas Public Administration Consortium (APAC). In that role, she builds the management skills of public sector professionals through training and certification programs. In addition to leading the organization, Lindquist serves as the director of the Certified Volunteer Manager, Certified Group Facilitator, and Certified Arkansas Planning Official Programs. She teaches meeting facilitation, group facilitation, and strategic planning.

Prior to APAC, Lindquist worked as Director of Field Service Education at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service for nine years. She directed over 90 field projects each year focused on assessing needs, evaluating programs, leading community conversations, and conducting research. Prior to joining the Clinton School faculty, Lindquist worked at Rhodes College where she began as Director of Orientation and Leadership Programs and became an Associate Dean of Students.

Lindquist graduated summa cum laude from Simpson College and holds a Master of Science in Education degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). She participated in Class XXVII of Leadership Greater Little Rock and as a Memphis Leadership Academy Fellow.

She currently serves as a board member for Jefferson Comprehensive Care System, Inc. (JCCSI), a community health center. She is also the Chair of their Strategic Planning and Quality Improvement Committee.

Her newest personal endeavor is raising two boys that she and her husband adopted in November 2022. The family loves playing board games, playing trivia, watching movies, traveling, and going to local events.

Dr. Liz Lundeen directs the Arkansas Certified Public Manager® (CPM) program, the Arkansas Public Administration Consortium’s two-year management and leadership development program for public and nonprofit sector professionals. In addition to serving as director, Liz teaches the strategic decision-making and capstone courses for the CPM program. Liz recently became certified as a facilitator through APAC’s Certified Group Facilitator program. She serves on the Executive Council for the National CPM Consortium.

A Harry S. Truman Scholar, Liz is committed to public service and, in particular, fostering connections between educational institutions and the broader public. Previously, Liz served as Director of Strategic Planning for the Glenn Pelham Foundation for Debate Education, where she directed the expansion of a workforce development program designed to introduce the concept of productive conflict to organizations. At Pelham, Liz also worked on an infrastructure campaign to support the Atlanta Urban Debate League’s in-class and after-school debate education programs in resource-challenged schools.

Liz earned her PhD in History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received the Graduate Education Advancement Board Impact Award for her dissertation on the role played by Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the civil rights movement. Liz has served as an instructor at Hendrix College and UNC-Chapel Hill, where she was also a field scholar for the Southern Oral History Program. Liz holds an MPhil in Historical Studies from Cambridge University and a BA in History and Political Science from Wake Forest University, where she competed on the policy debate team.

Kathryn Matchett has worked in the fields of international, community and organizational development for over thirty years.

Since 2002, she has provided consulting services to domestic and international organizations, specializing in bringing together key stakeholders to develop shared visions and make decisions through collaborative processes. Areas of expertise include group facilitation, strategic planning, nonprofit start-up, board development, program evaluation, conference planning, team building, training of trainers, cross-cultural training, research and writing.

Kathryn authored Values-based Holistic Community Development, describing Heifer International’s community development model, and was the lead author of Southern Bancorp: Revitalizing the Rural South, of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation’s Partners in Progress series.

Kathryn holds a Master of International and Intercultural Management degree from the SIT Graduate Institute in Vermont and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy Studies from Duke University.

A native of Little Rock, Kathryn has lived and/or worked in fourteen countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America. She is conversationally proficient in French and Spanish and is certified to teach English as a Second Language.

Ashley Matejka has been a professional project manager for over 12 years and an “unofficial” project manager for her entire life. As a consultant for the Department of Defense, she managed projects that evaluated long-term sustainment challenges for Air Force bases around the country.

Currently, she is a Senior IT Project Manager for the Arkansas Department of Human Services. She works as part of a team managing a software development project to deliver integrated eligibility and benefit management capabilities to the State of Arkansas for Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and other programs.

Ashley is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP ®), with an undergraduate degree from Boston University and a Master of Public Service degree from the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.

Outside of work, Ashley can be found organizing her friends and working with her husband to renovate their cabin near the Buffalo National River.

Dr. Kristen A. McIntyre (Ph.D., North Dakota State University) is a full professor in the Department of Applied Communication at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and serves as the Provost’s Faculty Fellow in Assessment. She directs the ACOM 1300: Introduction to Communication program as well as the UA Little Rock Communication Skills Center and facilitates workshops for UA Little Rock’s Extended Education Leadership Academy and the Arkansas Public Administration Consortium (APAC). Her co-authored publications in communication education can be found in Communication Quarterly, Communication Teacher, The Communication Centers Movement in Higher Education, Best Practices in Experiential and Service Learning in Communication, and The Handbook of Communication Training: A Best Practices Framework for Assessing and Developing Competence.

Dr. Julien C. Mirivel is Professor of Applied Communication at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, an author, and a professional speaker.

Originally from Paris, France, he is “among the founding scholars in the emerging field of positive communication” and an award-winning teacher and scholar. In 2013, he was named a Distinguished Teaching Fellow at UA Little Rock.

Julien has published in the most rigorous journals in the field of communication and is the author of four books on positive communication: The Art of Positive Communication: Theory and Practice and How Communication Scholars Think and Act: A Lifespan Perspective, and Communication and Community (with Kristen Christman). His newest book, Positive Communication for Leaders: Proven Strategies for Inspiring Unity and Effecting Change was released in 2023.

Dr. Mirivel has delivered hundreds of keynotes, training, and workshops on how to communicate effectively. His writing has been featured in FastCompany, CEOMagazine, HRMorning, ChiefExecutive, and more. He is a TEDx speaker whose mission is to inspire individuals and groups to communicate more positively at work and at home. In 2022, he founded the Positive Communication Network. For more information and resources, please visit julienmirivel.com.

Roy Ragland serves as the Chief of Staff for the Arkansas House of Representatives. He was appointed to the UA Pulaski Technical College Board of Visitors by Governor Hutchinson in December 2018.

Roy served as a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2005 through 2011. Subsequent to his legislative service he worked as Deputy Director of Governmental Affairs for Secretary of State Mark Martin in 2011-2012. He began his career on the House staff in December, 2012 as Director of Member Services. In 2016 he became Deputy Chief of Staff and in 2017 Chief of Staff.

Roy graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Arkansas Little Rock in August 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Minor in History. He is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Public Administration at UA Little Rock.

Dr. Derek Slagle is the Director of the University of Arkansas Little Rock (UALR) School of Public Affairs (SPA); tenured Associate Professor of Public Administration; and Director of the UALR Survey Research Center. He is an Arkansas Governor-appointed Commissioner (2019-2022; 2023-2025) for the Governor’s Advisory Commission on National Public Service & Volunteerism and has administrative/ fiduciary oversight for Arkansas’ Service (e.g., AmeriCorps) and Volunteerism priorities.

He was selected to be on the roster as a Fulbright Specialist by the U.S. State Department and Fulbright Commission. As a Fulbright Specialist, Dr. Slagle is on the roster available to over 150 countries globally to be matched on public administration, affairs, and policy projects in host countries and institutions

He is the Co-Owner of DNA Organizational Consulting Services, LLP – a firm which has been internationally recognized for consulting for nonprofit and public institutions. Dr. Slagle has worked for the Arkansas House of Representatives and served as a technical expert for the Governor’s Red Tape Reduction Working Group. Concomitantly, he served as a state lead for Occupational Licensing Policy Learning Consortium, a three-year project supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor and managed jointly by the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Council of State Governments, and the National Governors Association’s Center for Best Practices. He has contracted with over 30 different state agencies, nonprofits, and for-profit companies on over 50 different contracts, grants, and applied research projects.

His research in Public Affairs Education, Higher Education, Health Policy, & State Government have been published in a variety of academic journals. His applied research has led to over 50 Arkansas acts signed into law and numerous other administrative reforms.

Dr. Slagle is also a fine-art film photographer and was a 2023 Catalyze Grant Recipient from the Mid-America Arts Alliance. His photographic work is focused on environmental conservation practices and has been exhibited and published broadly.

Dr. Christy Standerfer earned a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Colorado and served as a faculty member at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service (UACS) for twelve years. For three years she was UACS’s Faculty Director of the Office of Community Engagement. She retired from UACS in July 2019 and was granted Emerita status.

Dr. Standerfer has over 30 years of teaching experience both on-line and in the classroom. Courses taught include Communication and Social Change, Advocacy in Public Service, Managing Public Disputes, Political Communication, and Gender Communication.

Her most current work focuses on effective public health and science communication. She has been awarded grants from the Arkansas Department of Health and the Kettering Foundation to conduct qualitative research, including developing protocols for and facilitating focus groups, interviews, surveys and round table discussions with a wide variety of stakeholders to gather and synthesize diverse perceptions of public health issues such as diabetes, breast care, and Alzheimer’s and related dementias and recommend effective strategies to involve communities in addressing these issues. This work has resulted in a number of technical reports as well as academic presentations and publications.

Dr. Standerfer served as a 2012-13 Fulbright Lecturing Scholar in Tirana, Albania. During her time in Albania, she worked with U.N. Women and the U.S. Embassy delivering workshops and reports on public speaking, policy debate, conflict transformation, and effective advocacy.

Over the course of her career, Dr. Standerfer has developed and presented workshops, research, and reports on volunteer recruitment, community capacity building, networking, and effective communication skills. She has collaborated with over 30 nonprofit and governmental organizations designing workshops and community meetings; facilitated more than 20 community meetings on issues such as providing relevant services to homeless populations, addressing racial and ethnic tensions, and building healthy communities; and produced and delivered more than 20 written reports to nonprofit and governmental agencies related to need assessments, evaluations, and recommendations.

In addition, Dr. Standerfer has published articles on nonprofit accountability, the changing nature of civil society, and the importance of understanding the role of public discourse in facilitating social justice.

Regina Taylor serves as the Chief Operations Officer for Girl Scouts – Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

In her role as COO, Regina works to ensure that girls from the council’s 79 county service area have access to participate in Girl Scout programming, troops and camps. She is an active Lifetime Member, and enjoys connecting youth to caring, committed mentors.

Regina is an experienced project and program manager who enjoys working with faith-based organizations and nonprofits to provide guidance on program development, efficiency and effectiveness. Her knowledge and passion come from her desire to make the world a better place.

She is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.

She is a member of the Kids Count Coalition Steering Committee for Arkansas Advocates for Youth and Families, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Alpha Alpha Rho Omega Chapter, and the Leadership Greater Little Rock Alumni Association. In her spare time, Regina loves to read and thrift shop.  She is happily married to her husband, Kevin. They have one son, Klay.

Hilary Trudell is a facilitator, producer and educator with extensive experience in the fields of public service and the arts. She specializes in community engagement, arts education and providing a platform for storytelling and advocacy around themes of social justice.

In 2017, Trudell founded a storytelling initiative called The Yarn, whose mission is to amplify voices, build understanding and create a space for human connection. Currently entering The Yarn’s third season, Trudell and her team have produced over 15 shows. She has personally coached over 180 people in efforts to help them share their stories succinctly, effectively and with impact.

In 2018, Trudell also founded the ACANSA Ten-Minute Play Showcase. A board member of the ACANSA Arts Festival, she is a strong believer of leveraging stories as catalysts for community building, education and social change.

Trudell currently works as Executive Director of Just Communities of Arkansas. Prior to this role, she served as Director of Local Programming and Regional Outreach at the Clinton School of Public Service leading students through their first field work experience.

Melissa Maxcy Wade holds M.A., M.T.S., and Th.M. degrees. She serves as President of the Glenn Pelham Foundation for Debate Education. She is now Emerita Faculty of the Division of Educational Studies at Emory University and former Executive Director of Forensics for the Barkley Forum Center for Debate Education

For 43 years, Wade led the growth of one of the most dynamic debate education programs in the country.  A faculty member in the Division of Educational Studies at Emory, Wade was a principal founder of the Urban Debate League, a national education movement targeting secondary students and teachers from socio-economically challenged schools in more than 20 major U.S. cities. More than 90,000 students have been served with 95% graduating from high school and 80% matriculating to college. She coached Emory to more than thirty-five national college debate championships and received every major college coaching and service award in the field of academic communications. In 2007 Wade received the Thomas Jefferson Award, Emory’s highest faculty honor.

Wade has also worked with international debate outreach in South Korea, Singapore, Jamaica, and Colombia and has been a visiting faculty member in the graduate division of international studies at Ewha University in Seoul with emphasis on conflict resolution and negotiation. Wade is the Executive Co-director of the National Debate Project and serves on the Board of Directors for the International Public Policy Forum and International Debate Education Association.  Wade is one of only 3 university debate coaches in the U.S. who served on the National Associated Press Presidential Debate Evaluation Panel for every U.S. Presidential election since 1976.  As President of the Glenn Pelham Foundation for Debate Education, she conducts advocacy, decision-making, and diversity training for corporations, professional associations, non-profits, government agencies, and schools.

Jonathan Wallace joined the Alliance for a Healthier Generation in 2013. He currently serves as the Director of Business Development.  In this role, he is responsible for the strategic development and implementation of community-based, cross-sector engagement across the country that drives healthier environments for kids and families, with specific emphasis on increasing access to healthy foods and beverages.  Jonathan plays a lead role in managing Healthier Generation’s business sector partnerships and developing innovative collaborations and solutions that impact children’s health.

Prior to this role, Jonathan led an initiative to increase healthy out-of-school time activity across Arkansas.  He also serves as a coach with Arkansas State University – Childhood Services, providing training and technical assistance to out-of-school time and early childhood programs across the state.  Jonathan’s career has primarily been in the public sector, previously serving with Youth Volunteer Corps, VolunteerNow, and City Year.