Dean’s Advisory Board

William Jefferson Clinton, the first Democratic president in six decades to be elected twice, led the U.S. to the longest economic expansion in American history, including the creation of more than 22 million jobs.

Victoria DeFrancesco Soto is Dean of the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas and previously served as Assistant Dean at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and is a political analyst for NBC News and Telemundo.

Bruce R. Lindsey currently serves as Counselor to the Chair of the Board for the Clinton Foundation and a member of its Board of Directors.

Donna E. Shalala is a distinguished scholar and educator and currently Trustee Professor of Political Science and Health Policy at the University of Miami. 

Gayatri Agnew comes to Walmart having worked in the public sector both in government and non-profits and found her way to business because of her desire to work on impact at scale.

AnnMaura Connolly is the President of Voices for National Service, a coalition committed to expanding opportunities for Americans of all ages to serve and volunteer, and the Chief External Engagement, Policy & International Officer & Executive Vice President of City Year, Inc., an AmeriCorps program dedicated to helping urban schools and students succeed.

John Eddy is an Executive-in-Residence for the Institute for American Innovation at America’s Frontier Fund.

Jim is Vice President for Global Public Policy at The Walt Disney Company where he is responsible for developing and directing strategic international public policy initiatives across the company.

Mark D. Gearan is the President of the Hobart and William Smith Colleges, returning to HWS in 2022 after previously serving as President of the institution from 1999-2017.

Safiya Ghori-Ahmad, a global strategic advisor with deep experience counseling government leaders and C-suite executives on political, regulatory and geopolitical risks joined APCO Worldwide as the global public affairs lead in Washington, D.C.

Tara serves as President of JCH Properties+, a real estate investment, consulting and development company that specializes in delivering urban lifestyle experiences through the conversion of underutilized real estate into “cool”, creative spaces. 

Burt Hicks is the President and Chief Strategy & Growth Officer of Encore Bank, a privately held boutique bank headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, that couples highly experienced and talented bankers with innovative technology to offer unprecedented levels of service to its clients through a concierge approach.

The Honorable Colette D. Honorable is Executive Vice President of Public Policy and Chief External Affairs Officer for Exelon Corporation, the nation’s largest utility.

Dr. Dean Kumpuris has been practicing gastroenterology for 43 years and has served on the Little Rock City Board since 1995.

As a social impact strategist and philanthropic, Linda Lopez has worked at the highest levels of government and in academia.

The main focus for Donna McLarty in Washington, D.C. has been Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international non-governmental organization focused on women’s empowerment around the world, which she co-founded 25 years ago. 

Robert Rosen is the Director of Philanthropic Partnerships for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Dr. Ross is a seasoned higher education leader with nearly three decades of experience dedicated to enhancing the student experience through a focus on belonging, well-being, and success.

Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater helps clients integrate their interests in the overall vision for the transportation system of the 21st Century – a vision he set as Transportation Secretary to promote a safer, more efficient, environmentally sound and sustainable worldwide transportation infrastructure.

Amy Tu leads the Company’s international business with over 18,000 team members globally.

Janet Walkow joined The University of Texas in 2008, building on a successful pharmaceutical industry career, heading efforts ranging from R&D and Human Resources to Global Corporate Strategy.

Alison Williams is a consultant to non-profit and corporate clients.