At-large

I currently serve as Secretary of the Staff Senate and work as an IT professional for Student Affairs. My background here has been pretty diverse—I started as the first Computer Support Specialist for GSIE, then took on the role of technology infrastructure manager for Graduate Retention (CORD) when we launched its new building, and later became a digital workflow developer for Student Affairs. Through it all, I’ve been driven by a love for problem-solving and working with others to get things done.

During my time on the Staff Senate, I’ve grown passionate about connecting administration, faculty, and the skilled staff who keep our campus thriving. In my first term, I chaired the Communications Committee, served as Campus Council Secretary, and worked diligently to amplify staff perspectives. My days often begin at a desk but quickly lead me into conversations with people across campus — groundskeepers, building staff, and systems crews—whose insights not only solve problems but also spark practical, sustainable ideas that benefit us all. I’m excited to continue these roles while deepening those connections, ensuring their voices shape our shared future.

What energizes me most is the opportunity to bridge gaps, elevate staff input, and foster a stronger, more inclusive university. The prospect of collaborating with others to deliver real, lasting improvements — that’s what drives me every day.

My name is Lonnie Deavens, I work for UITS department as a Systems Analyst. I work on the Data Warehouse and Datahub team. When not working at the UofA, I'm a high school basketball, volleyball and fastpitch umpire.

Staff senate gives me an opportunity to advocate and represent the ideas, concerns and interests of fellow employees. It is a diverse group of people with different backgrounds and perspectives collaborating together to improve the work environment.

I graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2017 with a BA in Photography. While in school, I worked part-time as a graphic designer for the Division of Student Affairs. Since 2018, I’ve been a full-time Creative Services Manager within the division, where I help share its story and mentor aspiring student creatives, guiding them as they earn a living and prepare for their futures. I've lived in Fayetteville since the late 1980s and have remained actively involved in the local creative community throughout that time.

I moved to NWA from Atlanta with my husband in 2022. I have worked in admin roles for the last five years and was excited when I got hired with the nursing school. I started my role on the clinical placement team assisting with clinical site onboarding for the L.P.N.-B.S.N. program. I have since transitioned to overseeing affiliations this past summer.

I am excited to be a part of and support positive changes for my fellow staff members!

I am a Northwest Arkansas native and proud University of Arkansas alum. I've worked for the UA in the Information Systems Department for over 10 years. I began my journey at Walton College as an Administrative Assistant III, where I gained valuable experience before advancing to Assistant and Associate Director.

Currently, I serve as the Associate Director of ISYS Graduate Programs at the Sam M. Walton College of Business, where I support graduate students, faculty and program initiatives. I am passionate about student success, international education and program excellence, and I look forward to continuing to make a positive impact within the university community.

I'm Alli Johnson, I have been with the University for almost four years now. I am the Assistant Director of Accommodation and Accessibility Services. I help staff, faculty and student workers go through the accommodation request process. I also work to make sure that the campus is accessible for everyone. I have a disability myself, so I am very passionate about having and creating accessibility for everyone.

 

Hi! My name is Miriam and I am the Coordinator of Recruitment, Outreach, and Summer Programs in the College of Engineering. Currently, I am a first year grad student in the Master of Education in Higher Education program. Before my current role, I worked as the Admissions Counselor for Kansas, Western Missouri, and the Midwest. I graduated from UCA in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional Writing and a minor in film. In my free time, I love going to concerts, thrifting and rollerskating. 

I am excited about having the opportunity to advocate for staff needs and concerns, ensuring their voices are heard. I'm eager to support initiatives that align with UARK's mission and the chance to develop my leadership skills.

I am a lifelong resident of Springdale, Arkansas, and attended the U of A for my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. I enjoy reading, gardening, hiking, and team-style video games in my free time. I have worked part-time as both an undergraduate student and a graduate assistant, and I have been employed full-time in the Office of Admissions under Enrollment Services for several years now. My job as a Systems Analyst entails improving current processes for the benefit of prospective students, faculty, and staff and solving new problems as they arise between the different data information systems the university uses for admissions and student records, such as Slate, UAConnect, and Workday Student.

I have seen and experienced positive changes in employee compensation and benefits because of Staff Senate advocacy. Improving these directly impacts employee success and satisfaction. I look forward to helping advance these and other Senate goals and supporting my university colleagues.

I have served as a Staff Senator since July 2021. During that time, I served as secretary for two years — 2022-2024. I also served as chair of the Employee of the Quarter/Year Committee and as a member of the Awards, Internal Affairs, and Scholarship Committees. I served as chair of the ad-hoc Childcare Assistance Exploration Committee, which provided childcare resources for staff and drafted a proposal to the chancellor for ways the University can support employees with young children.

I began working at the university in 2018 and have served as an Administrative Specialist in the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (now the Office of Strategic Analytics and Insights); HEI Program Coordinator in the provost’s office; Fiscal Project Manager for the IDEALS Institute within the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and currently as Manager of HR Operational and Fiscal Projects in central Human Resources, where I document, map, and find ways to streamline HR business processes and manage the HR operational calendar.

In addition to serving as a Senator, I am a member of the Chancellor’s Commission on Women, a Staff Senate representative on Campus Council, and a founding co-chair of the Parents and Caregivers Employee Resource Group.

I have enjoyed my time serving as a Staff Senator. I especially appreciate the opportunity to serve as an advocate for staff in conversations with leadership and to help elevate the voices of staff and shed light on our experiences as employees. I support the institution’s priority becoming an Employer of Choice and continuously find ways to support, celebrate, advance, and award staff, ensuring that we feel seen, heard, and valued and can thrive in our roles.

I am particularly passionate about employee wellness and hope to find ways to increase attention to this topic to help staff develop ways to maintain and increase our sense of holistic wellbeing, minimizing burnout and thrive personally and professionally.

I enjoy getting to celebrate staff at awards ceremonies, the Employee Service Awards Banquet, and the annual Staff Celebration picnic and enjoy supporting those efforts.

I hope to continue supporting Staff Senate's efforts to listen to and elevate the voices of staff on our campus and would be honored to have the opportunity to do so.

My bachelor's is in Psychology and my master's is in Higher Education. I started at the University of Arkansas in the fall of 2017 in the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office. After working there for a year, I moved over to the College of Education and Health Professions where I was an academic advisor for three years. In the fall of 2021, I became a 360 instructor and advisor in the Student Success department and have been there ever since. Outside of my role, I am on the university Retention Networking committee, the First-Gen Networking committee, and am the chair for the Emergency Funding Sub-committee.

I think the collaboration is what excites me the most. In my current role, my job is essentially to provide 360 degrees of support to my students (academic advising, academic coaching, financial literacy etc.), which I couldn't do without my campus partners. With the size of our campus, though, there are always new resources to discover and people to meet, which can lead to more information to share with my students. I am also passionate about my work as a staff member, and I believe that we do a lot of amazing work on this campus. To be a part of Staff Senate where we discuss important staff topics and create initiatives to better other staff members and this campus is very exciting!

My name is Alex Wayne, and I currently serve as Operations Manager in the Biomedical Engineering department, as well as President of the CoE Staff Council. I have been working in education in several different capacities for over two decades, in both the US and abroad.

The opportunity to continue to have a direct impact on the working environment and experiences of my colleagues excites me. I am eager to continue representing their concerns and ideas and wish to continue fostering a sense of community on campus. The chance to collaborate with other staff members and leadership to create positive changes, improve communication, and advocate for important issues is inspiring. I believe being part of the staff senate would allow me to contribute meaningfully to shaping a supportive and dynamic organizational culture, while also ensuring that the voices of staff are heard and valued in decision-making processes.