About Us
2010 Board of Directors
- Walt Eilers, President
- walteilers@sbcglobal.net
- Chris Bell, Vice President
- brmgr403@metbank.com
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Chris has lived in Fayetteville since the early 60’s and after college and a short time working in retail, she began a career in banking. Being in the banking business gave me the opportunity to get involved in various clubs, organizations and non profits.
For more than 30 years, Chris has been active in the Fayetteville community as a member of the Chamber of Commerce and Altrusa Club of Fayetteville. She served as President of three PTA’s while her son was in school and then was on the Fayetteville School Board for six years.
In addition, Chris has been on many boards and worked on different events in Fayetteville such as Autumnfest and Lights of the Ozarks. After retiring from the School Board, she mentioned to Cathy Bass about working at the Garden and digging dirt. In a short time, she was asked to serve on the Botanical Garden of the Ozark’s Board.
One of her major roles on the board is that of an ambassador. She wants to help promote the Botanical Garden and get the word out to the residents of Northwest Arkansas on how fortunate we are to have this grand jewel in our community! The Garden is a beautiful place and such a special spot to bring friends, family and visitors.
- Dr. Rita Littrell, Secretary
- rlittrell@walton.uark.edu
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Rita Littrell is director of the Bessie B. Moore Center for Economic at the University of Arkansas. Rita, a native Arkansan, lives in Elm Springs with her husband, Don Hurlbut and their son, Keaton. Their family includes assorted cats and one special dog named Scruffy. The Hurlbut/Littrell family enjoys sharing their butterfly and water gardens with a host of guests. Besides books, plants and wine, they collect friends --- many from other countries of the world.
After 13 years of service to Springdale school district and upon completion of graduate and undergraduate studies at the University of Arkansas, Rita attended graduate school at the University of Kansas. She served three years as center director at the University of Missouri-Kansas City before returning to Arkansas. Rita serves as hospitality chair for the Willis D. Shaw Elementary School Parent Teacher Association and was instrumental in the development of the outdoor classroom at that school. As an assistant professor of economics in the Sam M. Walton of College, Rita works closely with area teachers conducting professional development programs. This education experience complements her volunteer work as co-director for the education committee.
Rita’s involvement with the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks began with the first Butterfly Day when the BGO was nothing more than a field. Rita and other BGO volunteers have worked tirelessly to educate people of all ages about the benefits and joys of butterfly gardening. Rita offers her education experience and Don offers his landscaping and water garden expertise to the BGO. They enjoy strolling through the botanical gardens in search of the discovery of a new plant combination, a gardening idea, or simple relaxation. Many evenings the family can be found attending music or cooking events at the BGO. Keaton enjoys learning about and catching the dragonflies hovering over the ponds.
Rita states, “The Botanical Gardens are uniquely poised to educate people about healthy and natural lifestyle choices. We have so many opportunities now that the first phase of the gardens is maturing and people are discovering what we have to offer.” Rita is serving as BGSO Board secretary and co-chair for the education committee.
- Catherine W. Bass
- cbass88437@cox.net
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Cathy is the past President of the Garden and is again serving on the board to bring continuity to the growing and changing leadership group. She and husband, Clay, are Fayetteville fixtures in a range of community programs. Under her leadership the Garden moved from a vision to a reality.
In Little Rock Cathy was President, Easter Seal Auxiliary, member Arkansas Baptist Hospital Auxiliary and Secretary, Arkansas State Hospital Auxiliary Board. Her community involvement in Fayetteville includes: Fayetteville Downtown Partners, Science Springs of Northwest Arkansas, Seven Hills Homeless Center and Botanical Garden of the Ozarks.
Because of her history with the Garden and familiarity with community leaders, Cathy has taken on the challenge to enhance and grow the Garden Ambassadors program. She says, “My mission is to build an Ambassadors group of community opinion leaders to advocate for the Garden. I will call on them to help the BGSO board create a family destination that is the pride of Northwest Arkansas.”
- Aaron Bleidt
- aaron@vpointcommunications.com
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Aaron Bleidt is the founder and executive editor of CitiScapes Metro Monthly, Northwest Arkansas’ longest running and most widely circulated monthly regional lifestyle magazine. Prior to launching CitiScapes in 2001, Aaron established the marketing design and media planning firm Vantage Point Communications, which continues today. As president of VPC, he has been involved with numerous marketing, public relations and development campaigns throughout Northwest Arkansas, particularly in the nonprofit and political sectors.
A native of Fayetteville and a longtime participant in civic and community affairs, Aaron has served on a number of government and nonprofit boards, including being elected to three terms on the Washington County Quorum Court, the county’s legislative body. He has served as chairman of the Washington County Juvenile Justice Board, and on the state level, was appointed by the governor to the Arkansas Juvenile Justice Commission. An avid outdoor and nature enthusiast, Aaron was also appointed (at different times) by the city council to both the Fayetteville Environmental Concerns Committee and the city’s Parks & Recreation Board – during his time on the parks board, he wrote a regular newspaper column for the Northwest Arkansas Times, aptly titled Open Spaces, which sought to shed light on and encourage readers to experience the region’s many spectacular city parks and public green spaces. In the nonprofit arena, Aaron has had the distinct pleasure of supporting and serving on the boards of Habitat for Humanity, Single Parent Scholarship Fund, Abilities Unlimited, Fayetteville Downtown Partners and the Northwest Arkansas Museum Foundation. In addition to the Botanical Garden board, he currently serves on the board of the Fayetteville Underground, a nonprofit community arts organization located on the downtown square that is home to four art galleries and more than a dozen working-artist studios.
In addition to promoting the arts in NWA and spending as much time as possible in the great Arkansas outdoors—be it hiking, biking, camping or canoeing—Aaron is also an avid traveler, and especially enjoys visiting the world’s great museums, galleries and display gardens. As a newly appointed member of the BGSO board, Aaron looks forward to helping take the Garden to the proverbial next level as one of the state’s premier cultural attractions.
- Cynthia Coughlin
- cynthia@arkansas.net
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Cynthia Coughlin is the owner/manager of Coughlin's Ranch, a registered Angus breeding operation located west of Centerton, Arkansas. She and her husband, Tom, have been residents for over thirty years and have raised all three of their children in Northwest Arkansas.
Cynthia has been very involved as a board member with a number of non-profits in the area. In addition to the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks board, she currently serves on the Police Athletic League board.
She has been Chairman of the Walton Arts Center Council, President of the Boys and Girls Club of Benton County, Vice President of the Bentonville School Board, President of the Bentonville Symphony Guild, and President of the Bentonville Garden Club. She was named NWA Business Woman of the Year in 2001, received the Chamber of Commerce "Dickison" Award in 1999, and the USA Freedom Corps award for volunteerism from President Bush in 2002.
- Wyley Elliott
- elliottwyley@gmail.com
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Wyley Elliott joined NWACC in August 2009. Wyley leads the workforce development team as well as public relations/marketing and the NWACC Foundation. Wyley holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas and a bachelor’s degree in Arts from Ouachita Baptist University. Wyley also served as a member of the NWACC Foundation Board for two years prior to joining the college. Wyley served as a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve/National Guard and had a distinguished career in the banking industry across Arkansas since 1988. Wyley’s significant civic and community involvement across the region serves as a strong foundation when building relationships between the college and the communities in Northwest Arkansas. Wyley serves on the board of the George Billingsley Razorback Club of Northwest Arkansas and is a member of the Bentonville Rotary Club. Wyley has been married for 20 years to his wife, Stephanie and they have two daughters. Aubrey, 18, is a sophomore music education major at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, and Aaryn, 16, is a junior at Bentonville High School. They have lived in Bentonville since 2005
- Alex Gonzalez
- alexgonzalez1111@gmail.com
- Michael Lindsey
- mike.lindsey@morgan.keegan
- Martha McBride
- martha.mcbride@crye-leike.com
- Linda McMath
- mcmathster@gmail.com
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Linda McMath Linda McMath is a relative newcomer to Fayetteville. She and her husband, Bob, have been active in the U of A and NW Arkansas communities since their arrival here in 2005.
Prior to moving to Fayetteville, Linda was a public school teacher in Texas, North Carolina and Georgia. When she retired from Georgia’s DeKalb County School System, she was a Curriculum Coordinator for Elementary Mathematics, having previously served as a teacher and assistant principal for instruction.
Since moving to Fayetteville, Linda has been a volunteer in her church’s Bright Lights tutoring program, a member of the planning committee for the Komen Pink Ribbon luncheon, and a member of the BGO’s Membership Committee. She has served on the boards of the University Women’s Club and her neighborhood homeowners association. She is a painter who has exhibited in local galleries and is an avid tennis player. She became a Washington County Master Gardener in 2006.
For the past three years Linda has organized the Groundstrokes for the Garden tennis tournament. In addition to raising funds for the Garden the tournament, held every year in October at the Fayetteville Athletic Club, introduces people in the NW Arkansas and surrounding communities to the Garden and its mission.
Linda, who joined the Garden’s Board in December, is excited to work for such an exciting organization and to be involved as the Garden grows and matures.
- Paige Mulhollan
- paige123@cox.net
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Paige and Mary Bess Mulhollan returned to Fayetteville in January 2005 after an absence of 34 years.
Before retiring to Hilton Head, SC in early 1994, Paige was President of Wright State University (1985-1994) in Dayton, OH. He had previously served as a history professor and academic administrator at the University of Arkansas, Kansas State University, the University of Oklahoma and Arizona State University. He has been active in community services, especially in natural and ecological issues.
Paige served as the volunteer Executive Director of the Botanical Garden from January 2008 until July 2009 and continues as a board member. In Fayetteville he is Audubon Society and Rotary Club. He and Bess are active in recruiting, orienting and retaining volunteers for the Garden. Paige seeks to make service at the Garden a premier volunteer activity in Northwest Arkansas.
- Betsy Reithemeyer
- breithemeyer@saatchix.com
- Felicia Saenz
- felicia.a.saenz@wal-mart.com
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Felicia Saenz, Specialist for Corporate Sustainability, analyzes and implements processes related to a number of key sustainability projects for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. She was a recipient of the Sam M. Walton Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2008, the most prestigious award in the company. Felicia began her Wal-Mart career as a cashier at the Bentonville, AR Store #0100. She then went on to head the fundraising and customer promotions area for the store before being promoted to the Home Office as a Regional Assistant in Division 11/15 Operations. Over the years, Felicia has been promoted a number of times, gaining skills and knowledge of Wal-Mart’s extensive business practices with each new position.
Felicia serves on the Board of Directors of the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks. From her first encounter of the beginnings of the gardens while hiking through the trails at Lake Fayetteville, she knew it was going to be a special place that she would return. Now that she is on the board, she understands what that special feeling was when she first encountered the garden and is humbled by how the power of a small group of people can make a large social and environmental impact in their community. Felicia's favorite place is sitting on a blanket on the Great Lawn, listening to a band, and watching the kids play and explore the garden.
She holds an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice from the Northwest Arkansas Community College. Felicia is chair of the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks blood drives for the Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club Home Office locations where she developed and led a committee to quadruple the number of donations for her location in a 5 year period. Over the years, Felicia has worked with numerous other charities and non-profit groups in Northwest Arkansas and she is the proud mother of a 12 year old son.
- Ron Troutman
- rtroutman@cox.net
Walt Eilers is the Senior Associate of Gardner & Associates, an Arkansas-based fundraising consulting firm. Walt, his wife, Linda and their pets Prissy, Eliza and Lily have resided in Fayetteville since 2000.
Walt is engaged in non-profits as both a business and a community service. He and his partner, Dr. Paul Gardner, consult with a number of NPOs in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma. Walt serves as President of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks board and neighborhood representative of the Fayetteville Council of Neighborhoods. He chairs the Waterman Woods POA.
Since moving to Northwest Arkansas Walt has been active in a range of community groups. He was the 2005 Komen Race for the Cure Chair. Walt has been and remains active in the Smoke free Fayetteville Coalition. He is a founding board member of both Seven Hill Homeless Shelter and Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association.
As the newly elected President of BGSO, Walt explains, “The Gardens are a significant amenity for Northwest Arkansas. Not only do they provide the resource of nine demonstration gardens, but they are a recreational, educational and cultural resource. They are a prime example of how a public-private partnership with the City of Fayetteville can create a beautiful oasis.”