Connections: Women law students honor alumnae with annual award

by Talk Business & Politics staff ([email protected]) 272 views 

The head of Walmart Inc.’s legal department was one of two alumnae honored recently by the University of Arkansas School of Law.

Karen Roberts, the retailer’s executive vice president and general counsel, was presented with the Gayle Pettus Pontz Award by the law school’s Women’s Law Student Association, known as WLSA to law school students and alumni. Christy D. Jones, a trial attorney in Mississippi, was also honored.

The honor recognizes those who best represent the accomplishments of women and the legal community as a whole, according to the UA. The award is given annually, and a joint reception is held on alternate years. Roberts and Jones are the 2019 and 2020 awardees, respectively.

The award was established in 1985 to honor the first woman graduate of the UA’s law school in 1937.

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Finance
Anas “Al” Massri
Bentonville
Employer: NorthWest Arkansas Community College
Title: vice president of finance and administration
Previous employer: Missouri University of Science & Technology
Previous title: assistant vice chancellor for fiscal services

Retail
Garth Sears
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Nonprofit
Angie Cooper
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Employer: Heartland Forward
Title: executive director, Heartland Summit
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Previous title: senior director of global public policy

Publishing
Janet Foxman
Fayetteville
Employer: University of Arkansas Press
Title: managing editor
Previous employer: Oxford University Press
Previous title: senior production editor

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Mark Forbis
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AWARDS|
Finance
Jake Haak
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Title: chief financial officer
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Organization: Arkansas Association of School Business Officials