The Silver Circle recognizes television professionals who have served the industry with distinction for 25 years or more. The nominated individual’s contributions can be in service to the industry, to NATAS, to the community, or to people training for a career in the field. Nominees are accepted from performing, creative, technical, or administrative roles within the industry or from areas directly related to television such as commercial productions, journalism, and education.

Barnes began her broadcast journalism career while still in college at a small radio station in Russellville, Arkansas 鈥� KARV, the voice of the Arkansas River Valley 鈥� first as a reporter and then as news director. From there she moved to covering the entire state as a reporter, anchor, and producer for KATV- Channel 7 and as a producer, assignment editor and assistant news director for KARK-Channel 4.

During her tenure at KATV and KARK, Barnes wrote, produced, and supervised newscasts and documentaries that won a variety of Associated Press, Radio and Television News Director Association, regional Emmy, and United Press International awards. Barnes joined the Arkansas Educational Television Network as operations manager and public affairs producer for Arkansas Week and other network public affairs programming.  She served as a consultant and editorial advisor to a KARK teen pregnancy documentary which won a George Foster Peabody award, a regional Emmy, and an Edward R. Murrow Award.

After more than 20 years as a broadcast journalist, Barnes moved to the public relations profession first as public relations director at Arkansas Children鈥檚 Hospital, then as executive director of communications at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. She received her master鈥檚 degree in journalism from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in 1998 and joined the faculty at the School of Mass Communication in 2006.  She retired from full-time teaching, earning emeritus status in 2020, yet still takes the time to teach a class each semester.

Along with her extensive broadcast background, Barnes is an accredited public relations professional who has served on the executive board of the Arkansas Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America for more than seven years. She became chapter president in 2003, and later served as chair for the Southwest District of PRSA representing more than 2,000 members in six states, was a member of the PRSA National Nominating Committee, a national assembly delegate for six sessions, and chaired the PRSA National Research Task Force.

She is also the co-author of 鈥淧ublic Relations Ethics: Senior PR Pros Tell Us How to Speak Up and Keep Your Job,鈥� along with Marlene Neill.

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Heide Harrell, APR, vice president and communications director of the Private Wealth Management division at Stephens, will serve as the 2023 chair of the Alumni Board of Directors, whose members use their time and talent to represent the university by building membership and engaging with alumni. Members also help raise money for student scholarships and plan key university events like Taste of Little Rock and the Distinguished Alumni Awards Luncheon.

鈥淚 am very honored to have been asked to lead this board,鈥� Harrell said. 鈥淓ver since I stepped foot on campus to begin my master鈥檚 program, I have developed such a passion for the university and its faculty. It鈥檚 critical for alumni to support and rally around 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock so we can continue to provide scholarships to those who need them. We are so blessed to have a metropolitan university in our capital city.鈥�

The daughter of two veterans, Harrell was born at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California, to an Air Force mom and a Marine dad. A first-generation college graduate, she earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in speech communications from the University of Central Arkansas and a master鈥檚 degree in applied communication studies from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

With a strong desire to help students achieve their dream of a college education, Harrell joined the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Board of Directors in 2019. Leading the scholarship committee has provided her with a unique perspective on the importance of making college more affordable for students.

鈥淚t is extremely important for us to continue to give back to a university that has given this community so much,鈥� Harrell said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so inspiring to see what these students are trying to overcome to get their college degree. Sometimes they have to choose between paying a bill and buying a book. It shouldn鈥檛 be that way. They are so determined to get that degree and so passionate about what they鈥檝e decided to do. I鈥檓 inspired by them. It puts everything into focus on why this Alumni Association is so important. It鈥檚 a privilege to be able to sit there, get to learn a little about them and know that the money we raise as an association is going to help these students fulfill their dreams.鈥�

Harrell is also committed to the advancement of the public relations field. Harrell is beginning her fourth year on the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Board of Directors, and she is the first Arkansan ever to be elected to the PRSA national executive committee. She is a past president of the PRSA Arkansas Chapter, past chair of the Southwest District, and was a member of the 2018 PRSA Nominating Committee.

With nearly 20 years of public relations, communications, and marketing experience, Harrell is a graduate of the Little Rock Regional Chamber Leadership Greater Little Rock program, the 2021 Arkansas Business Executive Leadership Academy, and a 2020 honoree of Arkansas Business 40 Under 40.

Prior to joining Stephens, Harrell served as director of marketing and business development at Rose Law Firm, the oldest law firm west of the Mississippi. She spent nearly six years at Stone Ward as a senior public relations account manager and senior brand manager. Harrell also worked at Mangan Holcomb Partners as a public relations account executive, as well as five years for now Congressman J. French Hill at the former Delta Trust & Bank as communications and marketing officer.

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