DRA Board of Directors

The Disability Rights of Arkansas (DRA) Board of Directors are the fiduciaries who steer the organization towards a sustainable future by adopting sound and ethical governance and ensuring it has adequate resources to advance its mission. The board plays a crucial leadership function in shaping the DRA’s future, ensuring its success, keeping it on track, and is focused on its mission and strategic plans and objectives.

Being an impactful board member requires understanding the mission of DRA and bringing unique perspectives to help the staff execute the organization’s vision. Board members must bring their expertise and insight to the board and serve their 4-year term in various committees, including finance, fundraising, governance, and public policy. As a volunteer, unpaid position, directors on the board understand the impact of concentrated group efforts for the sake of a mission greater than themselves. DRA strives to consistently maintain board and committee members that capture diversity in the traditional sense of race, culture, gender, professional background and capabilities, knowledge of specific industries, and geographic experience.

Raysha Clark – President, Little Rock

Earl Jasper – Vice President, Rogers

Shannon Rivas – Secretary, Hot Springs

Nancy Sullivan, Little Rock

Adrienne Shelton, Russellville

Bethany Baldwin Long, Treasurer, North Little Rock

Amanda Edwards, Little Rock

Logan Vest, Newark

Carol Fleming, Little Rock

Board Meetings

The DRA Board of Directors welcomes public comment at its meetings and is committed to providing meaningful opportunities for the public to participate. Email DRA if you would like to provide public comment.

FY 2024 Board Meeting Dates:

November 14, 2024
January 16, 2025
March 20, 2025
May 15, 2025
July 17, 2025
September 11, 2025
November 20, 2026 [FY2026]

All meetings will be held hybrid and run from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

What Board Members Are Expected to Do

Board members are asked to:

Come to board meetings every other month. Each meeting lasts about 4 hours.
Spend up to 2 hours a month on small group meetings and helping in the community.
Be part of the board for 4 years. They can choose to stay for 4 more years if re-elected (8 years total). After that, they must take a 2-year break before they can apply again.
Give a donation to DRA to show they care about the group’s work and future.

How to Apply

When You Can Apply
You can apply to join the board from March 1 to September 30 each year.

If you apply during this time, you will get a letter within 7 business days explaining what happens next.
If you apply outside this time, your application will be sent back. You’ll be asked to try again during the next open period.

What You Need to Apply
You must send in:

A filled-out application form.
A resume or a short description of your work and experiences.
A short letter explaining why you want to join the board and how you connect with DRA’s goals.
Any extra papers the board asks for.

Interviews
If chosen, you’ll be invited to an interview with the committee. This may happen in person or online. In the interview, they will learn more about you and check:

If your goals match DRA’s mission.
What helpful skills or life experiences you have.
If you are ready to help lead and follow the board’s rules.
If you can work well with other board members and staff.

Everyone will be asked the same questions. The committee will look at:

Mission Match – Do your values and goals match DRA’s?
Leadership Skills – Have you shown that you can lead and make good decisions?
Team Fit – Will your skills help the board work better?
Time & Effort – Can you give enough time to do the job well?
Helping Raise Money – Are you willing to help raise money and give your own support?

Join the Board

If you are interested in making a difference for people with disabilities in Arkansas, you are welcome to apply to become a member of our Board of Directors. Having a background in disability rights advocacy, law, accounting, or marketing is a plus.