Regina Taylor, who graduated from the Clinton School of Public Service in 2010, boasts a varied professional background with leadership positions in multiple sectors.
Taylor currently serves as the Chief Operations Officer at Girl Scouts – Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. She returned to the organization in in 2022 after previously serving as its Volunteer Experience Director and Community Programs Director.
Previously, Taylor was the Chief Community Initiatives Officer at Arkansas Foodbank, where she led the organization’s strategic planning and coordination of community initiatives to address hunger and wellness issues. She has also worked in programming and services positions with the Greater Second Care Center and the Arkansas Minority Health Commission
Taylor earned her bachelor’s degree in political science before earning her Master of Public Service from the Clinton School.
What do you most enjoy about your role at Girl Scouts?
I love being able to interact and engage with girls around the state of Arkansas. There is something unifying about the Girl Scouts that provides a space for girls to come together to learn and grow. They can discover a better sense of self – establishing personal values, goals, dreams, talents and skills. They can connect with those in their communities, classrooms, and even the around the world while collaborating on ways to take action on projects of interest.
What does public service mean to you?
Public service is about intentionality, mindfulness, information, and connection.
I want to be intentional about serving others. It is the foundation of my core values and guides how I show up in my role. I want to be mindful of my biases. I want to look through a lens of openness when assessing community needs and be careful not to rush to judgment when it comes to resolving challenges. I want to remain informed on resources, policies and opportunities so that I can be a connector for and within the communities and organizations I serve.
What is one thing that most people don’t know about you?
I love to dance. As a child, I took ballet, tap and jazz dance classes.
What was your favorite class in your time as a Clinton School student?
I have two classes that I consider favorites. I loved Decision Analysis and Program Evaluation.
What skills did you learn at the Clinton School that you still put to use in your job or life today?
Program planning and evaluation always rise to the top for me. From the creation of a logic model to understanding the ins and outs of process evaluation, it helps to know the tools needed to structure successful programming from the beginning.
Outside of the resources and tools shared in class, I also learned the power of collaboration and inclusion. Each of us has special gifts and skills that can help to make a difference in this world. The Clinton School is where I learned to recognize and cherish those gifts in others.
That’s really impressing. She has motivated me