Alison Jumper is the Director of Parks, Natural Resources and Cultural Affairs for the City of Fayetteville. She is a licensed landscape architect in Arkansas and holds a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. Alison has extensive experience in park and trail system design and management. Her career has included work at municipalities, private design firms and philanthropic organizations managing the design and development of parks and trails across Northwest Arkansas varying in scope and scale from complete park systems to downtown streetscape renovations. Alison is an energetic advocate for parks, trails and active transportation and the positive impacts they have on communities and quality of life.

Peter Nierengarten is the Fayetteville Environmental Director. Since 2012, he has worked in this role focusing on improving livability and reducing the energy and carbon footprint for Fayetteville. Peter is very active in promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy, waste reduction, sustainability and active transportation for the City of Fayetteville and advancing the six goals of City Plan 2040. Peter is extremely proud to serve Fayetteville in a role that will provide vital direction for his community’s continued sustainable growth.

Tim Conklin is the Executive Director for the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission. Prior experience includes working 16 years at the City of Fayetteville and five years working at metropolitan planning organizations in Springfield, MO and Fort Smith, AR. He has a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA and is member of American Planning Association, American Institute of Certified Planners, and Congress for the New Urbanism.

Kalene Griffith is the president of Visit Bentonville in Bentonville, Arkansas. Her goal is to share her enthusiasm and experiences with others in our community and the rest of the world about Bentonville. In 2005, Kalene was hired as the president of Visit Bentonville, she then realized that her working career has always been in hospitality and tourism. She has loved every job from lifeguarding to special events to storytelling for Bentonville. Her education with early childhood education taught her to evaluate the challenges and celebrate the success to get the best results for every decision. Tourism has been her passion since she was 14 years old, working with parks and recreation, retail, hotels, restaurants, special events companies, Walt Disney World and the YMCA. It brought her so much energy and love for the industry. She was appointed by the Governor to the Arkansas State Parks and Tourism Commission for two terms, past chairman. She is a board member of the Arkansas Hospitality Association Travel Council, Arkansas Association of Convention Visitors Bureau, Southeast Tourism Society, Bentonville Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Bentonville, Inc., Bentonville Public Arts Advisory Board, Bentonville History Museum, Amazeum Children’s Museum and past Dress For Success. She has been awarded the 2020 Tourism Person of the Year, 40 under 40 by the Arkansas Business Journal and the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal C-Suite Award. She currently resides in Bentonville with her husband, John and dog, Jersee. Her son, Keegan (26), lives in Bentonville and daughter, Keelah (24), lives in Pittsburg, Kansas.

Wes Craiglow is the Executive Director of the Urban Land Institute’s Northwest Arkansas district council. In this capacity, he is responsible for uniting the mission of ULI with the development trends and land-use leaders throughout NWA. Wes served for eleven years as the Deputy Director of Planning and Development for the City of Conway, where he focused his energy on urban design in the downtown and historic districts, commercial development standards and entitlements, and cycling and urban forest advocacy. He is an alumni of the University of Central Arkansas, earning degrees in both Geography and Community & Economic Development. Wes is a 2009 graduate of the Community Development Institute and a 2011 inductee to the American Institute of Certified Planners. Wes resides in Fayetteville with his wife Emily and their ten-year-old son, Murrell. Together, they spend their free time cycling, attending regional community events, and fly fishing Ozark waterways.

Johnny Gunsaulis, Staff Chair, Benton County Extension Service, U of A, Div of Ag. Raised in NWA on a beef and poultry farm, BS in Animal Science U of A, Master's Degree in Animal Science from UA. Married and currently resides south of Siloam Springs. Previously worked for Simmon's Foods in live poultry production; Tyson Foods Swine Department, served as Nutrient and Land Manager; Washington County Conservation District, served as Water Quality Technician; Started with UADA Cooperative Extension Service in Washington County, AR in 1998 as an Agriculture Agent. Promoted to Staff Chair, Benton County Cooperative Extension service in 2013. Primary work focus is in pastures, livestock, with some 4-H work and some in Community and Economic Development.

Wes Ward is serving as the 3rd Secretary of Agriculture for the State of Arkansas. He was first appointed to the position in 2015 by Governor Asa Hutchinson and reappointed in 2023 by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Wes is from the small town of Lake City in Northeast Arkansas and is a graduate of Riverside High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business with an emphasis in Agricultural Finance from Arkansas State University. Wes has also earned a law degree (JD), a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) in Agricultural and Food Law, and a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Arkansas. Wes has been serving in the United States Marine Corps for over 23 years and has completed deployments and exercises in Afghanistan, Jordan, and Japan. He is currently serving in the Marine Corps Reserves as a Detachment Commander with the 1st Civil Affairs Group in Camp Pendleton, California. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture includes the Forestry Division, Livestock and Poultry Division, Natural Resources Division, and Plant Industries Division. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is dedicated to the development and implementation of policies and programs for Arkansas agriculture, forestry, and natural resources to keep its farmers and ranchers competitive in national and international markets while conserving natural resources and ensuring safe food, fiber, and forest products for the citizens of the state and nation.