Donna McLarty, an inaugural member of the Clinton School of Public Service Dean’s Advisory Board and a globally recognized civic leader, has been named one of the finalists for the Board Member of the Year Award, presented as part of the annual Arkansas Business Executive of the Year Awards.
The award recognizes non-profit board members across Arkansas who demonstrate exceptional leadership, visionary governance, and measurable, positive impact. The Arkansas Business Executive of the Year awards ceremony will take place on Nov. 3, honoring top business and non-profit leaders from across the state.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to be named a finalist for this award by Arkansas Business,” McLarty said. “Public service has always been about investing deeply in people through building relationships, listening with empathy, and creating pathways for student success. Serving on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the Clinton School has been a true joy, especially having the opportunity to learn from and support our extraordinary students as they prepare to make a positive impact across Arkansas and the world.”
A lifelong advocate for public service, international engagement, and education, McLarty has provided strategic direction to institutions locally, nationally, and internationally for over three decades. Co-founder and Board Chair Emeritus of Vital Voices Global Partnership, McLarty helped build a world-renowned nonprofit that has mentored and supported thousands of women leaders across more than 180 countries.
Since joining the Clinton School’s Dean’s Advisory Board as an inaugural member in 2022, McLarty has lent institutional gravity and strategic vision to the school’s governance. Notably, she championed and helped launch the Clinton School’s inaugural Salon Dinner in 2025. This initiative brought business, civic, and philanthropic leaders together while positioning Clinton School students as primary dialogue facilitators.
Currently, McLarty serves as the board’s representative on the Clinton School Charter Committee. In this role, she designed and facilitated focus groups to synthesize board insights into the school’s foundational charter, which will establish the baseline framework for the institution’s next long-term strategic plan when unveiled this fall.
“From her leadership on our inaugural Advisory Board to her pivotal role in designing our new school charter and mentoring our students, Donna’s wisdom and generosity have left a lasting mark on our school,” said Dr. Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, Dean of the Clinton School. “We are profoundly grateful for her service and celebrate this well-deserved honor alongside her.”
McLarty’s commitment to education and student advancement is also reflected in the McLarty Scholars Program, which she established alongside her family to create transformative learning and fellowship opportunities in international affairs and public service for Clinton School students.
Her broader civic leadership spans decades, including governance roles with the Centers for Youth and Families, the Kennedy Center, Blair House, the Little Rock Airport Commission, and the Wesley Theological Seminary. A graduate of the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business, she previously received the Arkansas Community Service Award for her enduring dedication to public life.