鈥淭hese alumni represent the best of what it means to be a Trojan,鈥� said Derek Boyce, director of alumni and corporate and foundation relations. 鈥淭heir leadership across health care, nonprofit service, and journalism reflects the ways our graduates make meaningful contributions to their communities, and we鈥檙e excited to have their voices on the Alumni Board.鈥�

The Alumni Board supports the university鈥檚 mission by strengthening relationships between 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and its graduates while creating opportunities for alumni engagement, mentorship, and community impact.

Cheryl Avants

Cheryl Avants, a lifelong Arkansan, brings decades of experience in pharmacy, health policy, and clinical operations. She retired from Arkansas BlueCross BlueShield in 2021 after six years as a clinical pharmacist, where she worked with national employers to expand medication management services and improve care strategies for patients with complex and rare conditions. 

Prior to joining Arkansas BlueCross, Avants worked in drug review programs and served as director of the Retrospective Drug Utilization Review program for Arkansas Medicaid. She also worked with the Colorado Medicaid program and held an earlier role as a clinical analyst in information technology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. 

Avants earned a Master of Business Administration from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Talethe Collins

Talethe Collins, a 2016 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock graduate, has built a career focused on nonprofit leadership and youth empowerment. She currently serves as a development officer with Make-A-Wish Mid-South, supporting efforts to grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. 

While attending 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Collins majored in political science with a minor in nonprofit leadership studies and earned her credential as a Certified Nonprofit Professional through the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. She has previously served with 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Children International and Reading to Kids in Los Angeles County. 

Collins is also the founder of the R.E.A.L. Scholars Program, which provides opportunities for students in her hometown of Marianna, Arkansas, and recently published her first children鈥檚 book, Curious Cassie, encouraging young people to explore future career paths.

Staci Miller

Staci Miller, MBA 鈥�10, serves as director of development for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Community Journalism Project, where she works to strengthen local journalism through philanthropic partnerships and community engagement. 

Miller spent more than two decades in publishing, including a 21-year career with WEHCO Newspapers. During her tenure with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, she held leadership roles such as creative services director, niche publications director, and special sections manager. 

She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Arkansas University and a Master of Business Administration from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and remains active in several community organizations throughout the Little Rock area.

Learn More

Together, these alumni bring a shared commitment to service, leadership, and community impact that reflects the strength of the Trojan network and its continued support for 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

Learn more about the Office of Alumni and Development at ualr.edu/advancement.

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This year鈥檚 picnic will feature a special Celebration of Champions theme, recognizing the outstanding achievements of that brought home conference titles from 2023 to 2025.

Honorees include the 2024 and 2025 OVC Tournament Champion Baseball Team, the 2024 OVC Regular-Season Champion Men鈥檚 Basketball Team, the 2023 OVC Regular-Season Champion Women鈥檚 Basketball Team, the 2023 and 2025 OVC Champion Men鈥檚 Golf Team, the 2024 OVC Champion Women鈥檚 Golf Team, the 2024 and 2025 OVC Champion Men鈥檚 Indoor Track and Field Team, the 2024 OVC Champion Men鈥檚 Outdoor Track and Field Team, and the 2024 and 2025 Pac-12 Dual Meet Champion Wrestling Team.

The annual picnic will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Bailey Alumni and Friends Center, where students, employees, alumni, and friends of the university can gather to enjoy barbecue, music, and fellowship.

Whole Hog Cafe will cater the event, with vegetarian burgers available, and cookies from Community Bakery will be served. DJ Klassik Entertainment, owned by alumnus Jonathan Nunn, will keep the celebration lively with music, while the Trojan Pep Band and Maximus will join the festivities. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock alumnus Travis 鈥淭re鈥� Day鈥� Rowan, host of the Drive Time Show on Power 92.3FM, will be broadcasting live from BBQ at Bailey. 

鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to welcome everyone back for BBQ at Bailey, a tradition that unites our community,鈥� said Kristi Smith, associate vice chancellor for alumni and development. 鈥淭his year we鈥檒l celebrate our championship teams and make the day even more special with alumni and community volunteers, including our Alumni Board and Foundation Fund Board members, stepping up to serve in honor of our student-athletes, who traditionally fill that role.鈥�

Frank Cuervo, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 director of , added that this year鈥檚 celebration is a fitting way to spotlight the dedication of the university鈥檚 student-athletes.

鈥淥ur teams truly embody the pride, passion, and spirit of Little Rock鈥攏ot only through their championship success on the field, but also through their dedication and achievement in the classroom,鈥� Cuervo said. 鈥淭his celebration is about more than trophies and titles. It鈥檚 about honoring the relentless effort, teamwork, and Trojan pride that define our student-athletes. We can鈥檛 wait to bring the entire university community together to share in these incredible accomplishments and celebrate in true Trojan fashion.鈥�

Hosted by the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Board of Directors, BBQ at Bailey remains one of the university鈥檚 favorite traditions, uniting students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community supporters at the start of the academic year. Guests are also invited to visit with student organizations, snap photos at the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock backdrop, view their bricks on the alumni patio, and enjoy lawn games on the alumni patio.

The celebration also highlights 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 Centennial Campaign, a historic fundraising initiative leading up to the university鈥檚 100th anniversary in 2027. Focused on scholarships, student support, program excellence, and enhancing the living and learning environment, the campaign reflects the same spirit of community and excellence that shines each year at BBQ at Bailey.

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The new members bring a wealth of experience in business, technology, and community service. They include Amber Booth-McCoy, chief executive officer of The Diversity Booth, Inc.; Aaron Huntley, senior vice president and head of strategy for First Western Bank; Arlton Lowry, founding partner and chief creative officer at Few; and Sharmin Moody, field manager for Volante Systems.

鈥淲e are thrilled to welcome these accomplished alumni to our board,鈥� said Kristi Smith, associate vice chancellor for alumni and development at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淭heir diverse expertise and deep ties to the community will be invaluable as we work to strengthen alumni engagement and support the university鈥檚 mission.鈥�

In addition to the new board members, Guy Choate, creative communications leader for Garver, has been elected as the new president of the Alumni Board of Directors.

“Serving on the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Board has given me a front-row seat to the incredible things happening at the university,鈥� Choate said. 鈥淚’m humbled to serve as president to this talented and inspiring board of alumni who know that the success of our students and the institution itself is integral to the success of central Arkansas and beyond. Go Trojans.”

All new board members are 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock alumni who are serving a three-year term from 2025 to 2028. More information on the new board members:

Booth-McCoy (鈥�13) is the founder and CEO of The Diversity Booth, Inc., an organization dedicated to co-creating sustainable, measurable, and inclusive cultures. With a decade of experience in culture change, higher education, academic medicine, and healthcare, she also serves as an adjunct faculty member at the Clinton School of Public Service. A two-time published author and TEDx speaker, Booth-McCoy is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Alpha Alpha Rho Omega Chapter.

Huntley (鈥�02) is a business leader with extensive experience in finance and workforce development. As senior vice president and head of strategy for First Western Bank in Rogers, Arkansas, he has played a key role in economic initiatives across the state. Huntley is also an elected member of the Springdale City Council and serves as finance chair for the Arkansas Children鈥檚 Hospital Northwest Auxiliary Board. His dedication to education and financial literacy is evident through his mentorship roles and involvement with workforce development programs. He has been honored as a Northwest Arkansas 40 under 40 designee and is a graduate of Leadership Springdale, Leadership Arkansas, and the FBI Citizens Academy.

Lowry (鈥�08) is the Founding Partner and Chief Creative Officer of Few, a digital product agency that has worked with major brands such as General Electric, IBM, Tyson, and Walmart. He has played an integral role in building and advising several startups and has shared his expertise by teaching web design at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. In addition to his contributions to the tech industry, Lowry has a passion for community development. He serves on the boards of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership and SoMa 501.

Moody (鈥�06) is a field manager for Volante Systems, a hospitality and restaurant point-of-sale software company. She has a strong commitment to community service, demonstrated through her involvement with organizations such as the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund, the Little Rock Zoo Board of Governors, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and the Conway Morning Rotary Club. Moody holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

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The new members are Stephanie Caruthers, a partner in Trio鈥檚 restaurant; Guy Choate, a communications leader at Garver; Sam Dunkum, a client relationship associate at Stephens Inc.; Gerald Gregory, an executive and co-owner of Garrett Excavating; Audra Hinton, a director at Shorter College; Tania Chevez Martinez, who has worked in the hospitality industry; and Antonio Mosby, a fire captain at the Little Rock Fire Department.

All of the board members are 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock alumni who will serve a three-year term as of Jan. 1, 2023. More information about the board members:

As a partner in Trio鈥檚, Stephanie Caruthers helps oversee daily operations of one of Central Arkansas鈥檚 most notable award-winning restaurants. She graduated from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in international studies and a minor in French. Caruthers also serves on the Donaghey Scholars Alumni Board and is a member of Tri Delta Sorority. She has previously served on the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Board of Directors and as chair/co-chair of two Taste of Little Rock events.

Guy Choate is the creative communications leader at Garver. The Beebe, Arkansas native earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in rhetoric and writing with a minor in journalism from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and a Master of Fine Arts in creative nonfiction writing from the University of New Orleans. He earned a Pushcart Prize nomination for his nonfiction writing. Choate is the founder of the Argenta Reading Series, a nonprofit organization that encourages the literary arts in Arkansas. He is a graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock and has been appointed to serve on the city鈥檚 Arts & Culture Commission.

Sam Dunkum works as a client relationship associate in the Private Client Group at Stephens Inc. and is in training to become a financial consultant. Dunkum played basketball at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in applied communications. He will graduate from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in December with a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in business analytics. Dunkum is a member of Fellowship Bible Church 鈥� Midtown.

Gerald Gregory is the chief operations officer and co-owner of Garrett Excavating, Inc. He has been instrumental in the acquisition and construction of almost $400 million worth of construction projects throughout his career. He is a board member of Associated Builders and Contractors and a member of Kappa Alpha Phi Fraternity, Inc. He and his wife are passionate about giving back to the community. They annually support a bike and toy drive for The Watershed Human and Community Development Agency, Inc. Their company, Songbyrd Enterprise, LLC, builds affordable housing in underserved communities.

Audra Hinton, of Little Rock, is originally from Crossett, Arkansas. She graduated from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance and obtained a MBA from Webster University. With over 20 years of experience in financial aid, she is currently the director of enrollment management at Shorter College. Her emphasis is in managing the areas of financial aid, admissions and recruitment, registrar, and re-entry supportive services. Hinton is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and has previously held leadership positions in the sorority. She is a life member of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Association.

Tania Martinez was born and raised in Mexico City. She came to the United States to pursue an MBA in order to further her career in hospitality and tourism management. She previously obtained her bachelor鈥檚 degree in hospitality and tourism management from Escuela Bancaria y Comercial/VATEL. Martinez has worked in the hospitality field in Europe, French Polynesia, Mexico, and the U.S. In Arkansas, she worked in the hospitality industry, the diplomatic public sector, and private banking. She received her MBA with a concentration in business analytics from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

Born and raised in Little Rock, Antonio Mosby attended Philander Smith College and 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock where he earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in health science with a minor in health promotion. He is a fire captain at the Little Rock Fire Department and serves as a fire marshal with the Fire Prevention and Investigations Bureau. Mosby is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and has served in leadership roles in the fraternity. He is one of the youngest Southwestern Province Lifetime Achievement Awardees and was awarded the Theta Epsilon Chapter Lifetime Achievement Award. Mosby currently serves on the Diamond Foundation Board and previously served on the board for the Pulaski County Youth Services.

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