Work with Us

To promote and support a talent development system in Southwest Arkansas that offers employers, individuals, and communities the opportunity to achieve and sustain economic prosperity.

The Southwest Arkansas Workforce Development Board, in partnership with the chief elected officials, is the strategic leader of efforts that promote and broker effective relationships between businesses, economic development, education, and workforce partners throughout the local area. 

 The Regional Board is responsible for developing a strategy to continuously improve and strengthen the workforce development system through innovation, alignment and improvement, employment, training, and education that promotes economic growth.  

The Board actively participates and collaborates closely with the required partners of the workforce development system, including public and private organizations. This engagement is crucial in the Board’s role to help integrate and align a more effective job-driven workforce system that invests in the connection between education and career preparation. The majority of Board Members are business representatives who are owners, chief executives, operating officers, or other business executives with optimum policymaking or hiring authority. These representatives are uniquely suited to communicate the emerging workforce needs of employers in high-growth, in-demand sectors to the local Board.

Andrea Britt, Howard County & Adult Center

Becky Ives, Lockheed Martin

Barbara Hamilton, SAU Tech

Chad Martin, Standard Lithium

Chris Donaldson, IBEW Local Union No 301

Cory Walker, Pinnacle Solutions Group

Diann Epps, State Farm Insurance

Don White, Don & Son Car Care Center

John Mack, Vietnam Veteran's Organization

Kevin Smith, Local Union 436 I.B.E.W.

Kelly Wilson, Nexans Amercable

Lavennier Brown, ADWS

Ophelia Strickland, A&L Solutions

Pamela Willis, Walmart

Phoebe Bailey, SWAEC Director

Ivory Curry, Curry Enterprises

Shaun Clark, Weyerhauser

Talia Worth, Albemarle

Tracie Lee, City of Texarkana

Voniece French, Eldorado Electrical JATC Local 436

Whitney Peterson, Peterson Heat & Air

Executive Committee Members in Bold