Gov. Sanders makes prison-related appointments on New Year’s Eve

Gov. Sarah Sanders made three key prison-related appointments on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31) among a slew of additional board and commission appointments.

Sanders replaced long-time Board of Corrections chairman Benny Magness with Jamie Barker, former deputy chief of staff on Sanders’ gubernatorial team. Barker, of Paron, recently left for a private sector job with Gilmore Davis consultants. His term will expire Dec. 31, 2032.

Magness was appointed to the Board of Corrections in 1999 by Gov. Mike Huckabee. He has served for 17 years as chairman of the board. Early in Sanders’ tenure, Magness and the governor battled over prison expansion issues.

Sanders also appointed Nathan Lee of Little Rock to the Board of Corrections. His term will expire Dec. 31, 2030.

The governor also made a high-profile appointment to the Post-Prison Transfer Board. Boyce Hamlet of Conway was named to the panel and designated as chairman. His term is set to expire January 14, 2032.

In other appointments, Gov. Sanders also named the following positions:

Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council
Jill Weinischke, El Dorado, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Term to expire July 1, 2028. Reappointment.

Norman Kemper, Austin, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Term to expire July 1, 2028. Reappointment.

Arkansas Board of Hearing Instrument Dispensers
Kerry Shuffield, Hot Springs, to the Arkansas Board of Hearing Instrument Dispensers. Term to expire July 31, 2027. Reappointment.

Vicki Howard, Clarksville, to the Arkansas Board of Hearing Instrument Dispensers. Term to expire July 31, 2027. Reappointment.

Philip Powell, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Board of Hearing Instrument Dispensers. Term to expire July 31, 2028. Reappointment.

Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine
Dr. Laurel Tait, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine. Term to expire August 31, 2028. Reappointment.

Keri Cody, Ashdown, to the Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine. Term to expire August 31, 2028. Reappointment.

Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board
William Galloway, Augusta, to the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board. Term to expire July 1, 2026. Reappointment.

Matt Smith, Blytheville, to the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board. Term to expire July 1, 2027. Reappointment.

Jason Felton, Marianna, to the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board. Term to expire July 1, 2026. Reappointment.

Matt Gammill, Tyronza, to the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board. Term to expire July 1, 2027. Reappointment.

Arkansas Fire Protection Licensing Board
April Broderick, Sherwood, to the Arkansas Fire Protection Licensing Board. Term to expire April 1, 2028. Reappointment.

Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council
Bobbi Shepherd, El Dorado, to the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council. Term to expire July 1, 2027. Reappointment.

Mitchell Allen, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council. Term to expire July 1, 2027. Reappointment.

Arkansas Rice Research & Promotion Board
David Gairhan, Jonesboro, to the Arkansas Rice Research & Promotion Board. Term to expire June 30, 2027. Reappointment.

Charles Williams, Crawfordsville, to the Arkansas Rice Research & Promotion Board. Term to expire June 30, 2027. Reappointment.

Arkansas Rural Medical Practice Student Loan & Scholarship Board
Dr. Steven Webber, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Rural Medical Practice Student Loan & Scholarship Board. Term to expire January 14, 2028. Reappointment.

Arkansas Sentencing Commission
Carol Crews, Conway, to the Arkansas Sentencing Commission. Term to expire May 15, 2030. Reappointment.

Nathan Smith, Bentonville, to the Arkansas Sentencing Commission. Term to expire May 15, 2030. Reappointment.

Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board
BJ Rogers, Ward, to the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. Term to expire June 30, 2027. Reappointment.

Joshua Cureton, Cash, to the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. Term to expire June 30, 2027. Reappointment.

Donald Morton, Des Arc, to the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. Term to expire June 30, 2027. Reappointment.

Brad Doyle, Weiner, to the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. Term to expire June 30, 2027. Reappointment.

Arkansas State Board of Nursing
Veronica Harmon, Perryville, to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. Term to expire October 1, 2029. Reappointment.

Tabitha Lancaster, Arkadelphia, to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. Term to expire October 1, 2029. Reappointment.

Phillip Petty, Hot Springs, to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. Term to expire October 1, 2029. Reappointment.

Barbara Hillman, Little Rock, to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. Term to expire October 1, 2028. Reappointment.

Allie Barker, Paron, to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. Term to expire October 1, 2028. Reappointment.

Lakisha Young, Little Rock, to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. Term to expire October 1, 2028. Reappointment.

Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy
Brian Jolly, Beebe, to the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy. Term to expire June 30, 2031. Reappointment.

Arkansas State Board of Sanitarians
Joel Adams, Benton, to the Arkansas State Board of Sanitarians. Term to expire June 30, 2029. Reappointment.

Arkansas State Medical Board
Mark Camp, Little Rock, to the Arkansas State Medical Board. Term to expire December 31, 2031. Reappointment.

Arkansas State Rehabilitation Council
Teri Cox-Meadows, Sherwood, to the Arkansas State Rehabilitation Council. Term to expire February 1, 2027. Replaces Kelley Sharp.

Arkansas Wine Producers Council
Michael Post, Altus, to the Arkansas Wine Producers Council. Term to expire March 1, 2028. Reappointment.

Andrew Post, Altus, to the Arkansas Wine Producers Council. Term to expire March 1, 2028. Reappointment.

Arkansas Workforce Development Board
Randy Henderson, Blytheville, to the Arkansas Workforce Development Board. Term to expire May 1, 2029. Reappointment.

Board of Directors of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority
Carey Smith, Little Rock, to the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority. Term to expire January 14, 2029. Reappointment.

Board of Directors of Northwest Technical Institute
Jason Coyle, Centerton, to the Board of Directors of Northwest Technical Institute. Term to expire June 30, 2029. Previously vacant position.

Derek Gibson, Springdale, to the Board of Directors of Northwest Technical Institute. Term to expire June 30, 2028. Reappointment.

Board of Trustees of the State Police Retirement System
Chris Gosnell, Magnolia, to the Board of Trustees of the State Police Retirement System. Term to expire July 1, 2032. Previously vacant position.

Elevator Safety Board
Heath Shearon, Maumelle, to the Elevator Safety Board. Term to expire July 1, 2026. Reappointment.

HVACR Licensing Board
Everett Dean, Camden, to the HVACR Licensing Board. Term to expire June 30, 2029. Reappointment.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board
Andrea Tharp, Heber Springs, to the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board. Term to expire January 14, 2030. Reappointment.

Terry McCallie, Carlisle, to the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board. Term to expire January 14, 2029. Reappointment.

Mississippi River Parkway Commission of Arkansas
Tyler Dunegan, Osceola, to the Mississippi River Parkway Commission of Arkansas. Term to expire June 8, 2027. Reappointment.

Joe St. Columbia, Helena, to the Mississippi River Parkway Commission of Arkansas. Term to expire June 8, 2027. Reappointment.

Oil and Gas Commission
Jerry Langley, Smackover, to the Oil and Gas Commission. Term to expire February 20, 2031. Reappointment.

Robert Liner, Fort Smith, to the Oil and Gas Commission. Term to expire February 20, 2031. Reappointment.

State Board of Election Commissioners
Jamie Clemmer, Benton, to the State Board of Election Commissioners. Term to expire May 28, 2029. Reappointment.

Sharon Brooks, Fort Smith, to the State Board of Election Commissioners. Term to expire May 28, 2029. Reappointment.

State Board of Health
Jim Terry, Little Rock, to the State Board of Health. Term to expire December 31, 2029. Reappointment.

Dr. Chris Cathey, North Little Rock, to the State Board of Health. Term to expire December 31, 2029. Reappointment.

State Plant Board
Matthew Miles, McGehee, to the State Plant Board. Term to expire October 1, 2028. Reappointment.