ABOUT
A Catalyst for Change
Southwest Arkansas Planning & Development District, Inc. is one of eight districts in Arkansas created to provide administrative support for project planning, grant writing, and grant administration for community, economic, environmental, and workforce development initiatives in the southwest region of Arkansas.
We strive to understand the needs of our local communities so we may be better prepared to provide the assistance our region needs to prosper while sustaining a strong, resilient workforce and local economy. We are a catalyst for change, helping communities implement effective community and economic development activities that result in sustainable, long-term economic growth that occurs in Southwest Arkansas’ rural communities.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
We are Southwest Arkansas, a twelve-county district serving 227,143 citizens in sixty-five municipalities. The Southwest Arkansas Planning & Development District, Inc is a 501(c)-3 designated nonprofit organization registered with the Arkansas Secretary of State and governed by a non-compensated Board of Directors, who are elected officials of the twelve-county region and meet quarterly. The operations office is centrally located in Magnolia and is staffed by a devoted group of professionals working under the supervision of Renee Dycus, Executive Director.
*Executive Committee
Calhoun County
*Floyd Nutt, County Judge
Rick Shirron, Mayor of Hampton
Alberta James, Private Sector
Hempstead County
Jerry Crane, County Judge
Don Still, Mayor of Hope
Little River County
Larry Cowling, County Judge
Trey Cobb, Mayor of Ashdown
Charles Henderson, Private Sector
Ouachita County
Robert McAdoo, County Judge
Charlotte Young, Mayor of Camden
James Lee Silliman, Private Sector
Columbia County
*Doug Fields, County Judge
*Parnell Vann, Mayor of Magnolia
Howard County
*Brent Pinkerton, County Judge
Larry Dunaway, Mayor of Nashville
Miller County
Cathy Harrison, County Judge
Allen Brown, Mayor of Texarkana
Sevier County
*Sandra Dunn, County Judge
Jeff Brown, Mayor of De Queen
Tiffany Maurer, Private Sector
Dallas County
Chris Standfield, County Judge
John MacNichol, Mayor of Fordyce
Lafayette County
Valarie Clark, County Judge
Ethan Dunbar, Mayor of Lewisville
Nevada County
Mike Otwell, County Judge
Terry Oliver, Mayor of Prescott
Mary Godwin, Private Sector
Union County
*Mike Loftin, County Judge
Paul Choate, Mayor of El Dorado
MEETING UPDATES
Updates from the previous meetings can be found below. Additional forms and downloads can be found here, at the Southwest Regional Asset Database.
STAFF
Executive Director
Renee Dycus, Executive Director
(870) 235-7517 renee.dycus@arkansas.gov
Administrative staff
Donna Harper, Staff Accountant
(870) 234-4030 donna.harper@arkansas.gov
Annette Hughey, Operations Manager
(870) 235-7522 annette.hughey@arkansas.gov
Christina Tate, Staff Accountant Lisa Stamper, Staff Accountant
(870) 234-4030 christina.tate@arkansas.gov (870) 234-4030 lisa.stamper@arkansas.gov
Communications Department
Tawana Staten, IT and Communications Coordinator
(870) 235-7537 tawana.staten@arkansas.gov
Community & economic development AND environmental services
Blake Harrell, Community & Economic Development Director
& Solid Waste Manager
(870) 235-7516 blake.harrell@arkansas.gov
Shelley Morehead, Senior CED Coordinator
(870) 235-7504 shelley.morehead@arkansas.gov
Jay Click, CED Coordinator
(870) 235-7501 jay.click@arkansas.gov
Jimmy Parker, Special Projects Coordinator
(870) 235-7521 jimmy.parker@arkansas.gov
Katie Hardy, Resiliency Coordinator
(870) 235-7519 katie.hardy@arkansas.gov
Workforce Development department
Ranea M. Leaks, WIOA Coordinator
(870) 235-7507 ranea.leaks@arkansas.gov
Shelda Garland, Director of Workforce Development
(870) 904-8720 shelda.garland@arkansas.gov
Reese Broadnax, Project Manager
(870) 904-0074 reese.broadnax@arkansas.gov
Lori White, WIOA Program Manager
(870) 777-0810 lori.a.white@arkansas.gov
Carolyn Woods, Career Planner
(870) 299-3314 carolyn.woods@arkansas.gov
Kimberly Lanford, Career Planner
(870) 836-5024 kimberly.lanford@arkansas.gov
Leslie Cooper, Career Planner Gabirel Muldrew, Career Planner
(870) 234-3440 leslie.cooper@arkansas.gov (870) 914-1497 gabirel.muldrew@arkansas.gov
Maria Ramirez, Career Planner
(870) 777-3421 maria.ramirez@arkansas.gov