Board of Directors
Our dedicated Board of Directors is devoted to seeing our scholars graduate with the strength of character and academic abilities needed to succeed in life.
Lisa John-Adams
Board Chair Quality Systems Director, Nucor Steel Arkansas Read Bio
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Lisa John-Adams
Board Chair Quality Systems Director, Nucor Steel ArkansasMrs. Lisa John-Adams has been with Nucor Corporation since 1994. She has led the implementation of NSA's Quality Management System, which has kept its certifications since first certified in 2001. She is a certified Quality and Environmental Systems Lead Auditor. Lisa holds a Master of Science in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of the West Indies and the University of Toronto. Lisa is the 2014 President of the Board of Directors of the Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce. She is also the President of the Board of Directors of The Haven, a domestic violence shelter. Lisa is a member of the Mississippi County Solid Waste Board and chairs the Board's recycling committee. Lisa is married to Tracy Adams and together they have three children. Lisa and her family live in the Blytheville area.
Judge Chalk Mitchell
Board Vice Chair Judge, First Judicial Circuit Court Read Bio
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Judge Chalk Mitchell
Board Vice Chair Judge, First Judicial Circuit CourtMr. Chalk Mitchell grew up in Helena, Arkansas, and graduated from Eliza Miller High School before pursuing his undergraduate degree at Morehouse College and graduate degrees at both Georgetown University Law Center and Harvard University. He previously served as Helena-West Helena's City Attorney. He serves on the board of several community groups in his hometown and recently completed his term as chair of KIPP Delta’s Board of Directors.
George Cotton Sr.
Board Secretary Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Read Bio
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George Cotton Sr.
Board Secretary Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement, University of Arkansas at Pine BluffGeorge Cotton Sr. is a multi-talented fundraising professional currently serving as vice chancellor for institutional advancement at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. With more than 30 years of experience in advancement, program planning, and educational consulting, his background highlights tenures leading non-profits, educational institutions, and community-based organizations. This includes the roles of vice president for university advancement and executive director of the Florida A&M University Foundation, vice president for major and planned gifts at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and urban youth specialist with the University of Missouri Extension Service. A native of West Helena, Arkansas, he holds a bachelor’s degree in commercial art and a master’s degree in political science, both from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Robin Houseworth
Board Member Houseworth Hotels and Restaurants, LLC Read Bio
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Robin Houseworth
Board Member Houseworth Hotels and Restaurants, LLCMrs. Robin Houseworth is a native Arkansan. She obtained a Chemistry and Biology degree from Henderson State University and a master's degree in Education. She and her husband reside in Blytheville and have been in the hospitality industry for 37 years. Robin is a Certified Hotel Administrator, and recently launched Houseworth Hotels and Restaurants, LLC with her husband and two daughters. Robin has been a volunteer for 28 years with the Miss America Organization, and a 20-year member of the Arkansas Chapter D PEO. Both organizations concentrate on providing women with scholarships to further their education. She is also on the Board of Directors for the Miss Arkansas Pageant. Robin enjoys traveling internationally, spending time at Lake Norfork, and entertaining her grandchildren and her two Yorkies.
Kristen Collier Wright
Board Member Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, AutoZone, Inc. Read Bio
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Kristen Collier Wright
Board Member Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, AutoZone, Inc.Mrs. Kristen Wright assumed the top legal role at AutoZone in 2014. She is the Memphis-based Fortune 300 retailer's first female senior vice president, secretary, and general counsel. In 2017, she was selected as one of Fortune's Most Powerful Women. Kristen serves on AutoZone's executive committee and is also the founder of the AutoZone Women's Initiative (AZ WIN) and executive sponsor of the company's diversity and inclusion initiative. She oversees AutoZone's Legal Department, Government Affairs, Corporate Communications, and Community Relations. Her team supports the values of more than 85,000 AutoZone employees across the US, Mexico, Brazil, and around the globe while protecting the assets of this $10 billion company. A native of Forrest City, Kristen graduated from Forrest City High School in 1994 and earned a bachelor's degree in English with honors and a law degree from the University of Arkansas. Kristen and her husband, Marshall, are parents of twin KIPPsters, Collier and Syble. Kristen is also the chair of the Board of Memphis in May International Festival.
Vince Billingsley
Board Member Vice President, Capital Financial Service Group, Inc. Read Bio
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Vince Billingsley
Board Member Vice President, Capital Financial Service Group, Inc.Mr. Vince Billingsley lives in Forrest City, Arkansas, and services customers in the areas of Employee Benefits and Insurance. Vince is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor's degree in marketing. After graduating, Vince moved to Vail, Colorado, for three years where he worked in the hospitality and service industry. He taught children's ski school in the winter, worked on golf courses in the summer, and also worked as a waiter and cook in a variety of restaurants. In 2003, Vince moved back home to Forrest City where he began his career in the family insurance and financial services sector. Vince married his wife, Amber, in 2008 and they have three daughters, Ona, Norah, and Emily. His family attends St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church where Vince currently serves as Chairman of the Finance Council. He is an active member of the St. Francis County Master Gardeners, Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute's Technology Advisory Committee, and the Forrest City Downtown Revitalization Commission.
Board Meetings
KIPP Delta Public Schools holds quarterly board meetings, which are open to all parents and community members.