ELLA Team

Director of Public Relations
Wright Lindsey Jennings

Rickie Smith is the director of public relations at Wright Lindsey Jennings in Little Rock, where she provides leadership and strategic direction for the marketing, media and communications efforts of the firm’s 80+ attorneys. She has been in the field of legal marketing for more than 12 years in Little Rock and has a background in journalism. Rickie has been involved in the HR community for more than a decade as a long-time CAHRA and SHRM member. She served as CAHRA president in 2020 and co-chair of the ELLA Conference in 2010, and has been on numerous other planning and conference committees for ARSHRM. An active community volunteer, Rickie is a graduate of Leadership Arkansas and has held many roles at First United Methodist Church of downtown Little Rock. She and her husband Sam have three pups and love to spend their free time at Lake Ouachita with family and friends.

Labor & Employment attorney
Wright Lindsey Jennings

Daveante Jones is a Labor & Employment attorney at Wright Lindsey Jennings. He helps employers build healthy and compliant workplaces by learning the unique features of their businesses and providing practical and tailored advice regarding: Employment agreements & personnel policies; Employee & management training; Day-to-day issues like accommodation & leave requests, disciplinary action & termination decisions;  Internal, and state & federal agency investigations; Internal wage audits to ensure compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act & other civil rights laws; and State & federal court lawsuits—including class & collective actions—involving claims under civil rights and wage & hour laws, and claims related to employment agreements, covenants not to compete & trade secrets. 

Daveante helps keep employers educated by regularly writing articles and speaking at events on relevant and timely topics covering employment issues ranging from the intersection of the ADA and FMLA, to wage and hour issues, to trade secrets, to National Labor Relations Act issues, to remote work. 

Kevin Robinson is the Director of Human Resources for Encore Bank.  Kevin is responsible for managing all areas of the Human Resources functions including, Payroll, Benefits, Recruiting, Employee Relations, HR Compliance and more. Kevin has over 25 years of experience in Human Resources.  Kevin earned a Bachelor of Science in Management from Arkansas State University and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.  Kevin holds the PHR certification from HRCI and the SHRM-CP certification from SHRM. 

Kevin is a long-time member of SHRM and he has served as a volunteer leader in the Central Arkansas Human Resources Association (CAHRA) and Arkansas Society of Human Resources Management State Council. He has also been an Adjunct Instructor teaching Human Resources Management at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He previously served on the board of directors for CAHRA for many years in various positions including President. He was the recipient of the Russell Gunter Member of the Year Award for CAHRA in 2017. He previously served on the ARSHRM State Council as Director of Core Areas for the State of Arkansas and as Director of Workforce Readiness. Currently, Kevin is serving as a general board member for the Arkansas Industry Liaison Group,  Programs Co-Chair for the 2024 ELLA Conference and on the ARSHRM State Council as the Director of Finance. 

Director of Human Resources 
Birch Tree Communities

Shayne King serves as the Director of Human Resources for Birch Tree Communities, a behavioral health care provider with eleven locations throughout Arkansas.

Shayne has served many years on the Board of Directors of the West Central Arkansas Society of Human Resource Management (WCASHRM) in various capacities, including president. She has also served in multiple positions for the ARSHRM state council and ELLA Conference Committee. In 2022, Shayne was named ARSHRM’s Outstanding HR Professional of the Year.

Director of Human Resources
Harrison Energy Partners

Sam Smith, SHRM-CP, is the Director of Human Resources at Harrison Energy Partners in Little Rock where he provides human resources leadership for the company’s 200 associates spanning two states and five offices.  Sam received his BSBA from the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas.  He has worked in Human Resources for nearly 20 years across a variety of fields including construction, healthcare, advertising, and television.  Sam has been a member of the Central Arkansas Human Resources Association since 2004 and served as CAHRA’s Vice President of Marketing from 2019-2022.  Sam is a proud graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock (Class XXXVIII).   

Away from the office, Sam serves as the Secretary of the Harbor East Property Owner’s Association Board of Directors and on the board of Camp Aldersgate.  Sam has also held numerous leadership roles at First United Methodist Church of Little Rock.  Sam and his wife Rickie enjoy as much time as possible at Lake Ouachita with their three dogs, family, and friends.

Human Resources Compliance Manager
Maverick Transportation

Leanne Kamps is this Human Resources Compliance Manager for Maverick Transportation, LLC in Little Rock where she has held various positions in the Human Resources Department for over 11 years. Her primary areas of expertise are benefits and leave administration, employee compliance, wellness, and corporate training.  She has been an active member of CAHRA and spent several years serving as a board member, Vice President of Monthly Programs, and chairing the ELLA Conference. She is excited to help bring a wonderful conference in 2024!

Executive Vice President/ Chief Operating Officer
Selected Funeral and Life Insurance Company

Tara Mauk Arthur, PHR, SHRM-CP, FLMI, serves as the Executive Vice President, Corporate Services and the Chief Operating Officer for Selected Funeral and Life Insurance Company headquartered in Hot Springs, Arkansas. She manages a team that handles HR, Compliance, IT, Customer Services, Benefits and New Business.

Tara is a long-time SHRM volunteer having served as the Membership Advisory Council (MAC) representative for the SHRM Southwest Central Region in 2010-2011, and as the State Director for Arkansas SHRM in 2008-2009. She has held many volunteer positions within the SHRM state council and chapter structure, including chapter president, WCASHRM Manager's Seminar chair, Arkansas Employment Law and Legislative Affairs (ELLA) Conference chair, State Conference Chair, Communications & Awards Director and worked on multiple conference committees. In 2007, Tara was named the Arkansas HR Professional of the Year and in 2021, she was the recipient of the Russell Gunter Legislative Advocacy award.

Director of Human Resources & Risk Manager
Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts

Patti Airoldi is the Human Resources & Risk Manager at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts whose mission is to create an inclusive cultural space that inspires and builds community through the visual and performing arts.  She is a long-time SHRM member and volunteer.  She has served numerous years on the Board of Directors of the Central Arkansas Human Resource Association (CAHRA) in various capacities, including president.  She’s also served in a number of positions for the ARSHRM State Council and on several ARSHRM State Conference and ELLA Conference committees.  In 2018, Patti was the recipient of CAHRA’s Russell Gunter Member of the Year Award and was named ARSHRM’s Outstanding HR Professional of the Year in 2019.

Patti holds a master’s degree in Interpersonal and Organizational Communications and has been certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) by the HR Certification Institute and a Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) by the Society of Human Resources Management. 

Human Resources Director
Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. 

Kelly is a distinguished Human Resources leader known for her academic prowess, holding dual Master's degrees in Human Resource Development and Public Administration, complemented certifications as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).

Beyond her professional achievements, Kelly has made significant contributions through volunteer work, dedicating her expertise to various HR councils and committees. Her commitment to enhancing HR practices is evident through leadership roles in the Arkansas Society of Human Resources Management State Council, Arkansas Compensation Association (now part of NOARK), and Central Arkansas Human Resources Association. She has held Board positions, chaired committees, led initiatives, and actively shaped industry best practices.
Her professional journey spans impactful roles at Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. as the Human Resources Director, ensuring compliance and fostering a thriving workplace. Prior positions as Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Operations Officer at Youth Home, Inc. & Behavioral Health Services of Arkansas underscore her ability to drive growth and efficiency beyond HR functions.

Regional Director
Staffmark

Sara Staley, PHR, SHRM-CP, is the  Regional Director for Staffmark, a nationwide and leading staffing and human capital provider. She has been with the organization for the last 17 years. She is responsible for developing and maintaining excellent client relationships by managing staffing strategies and employment models as well as analysis of labor markets and trends. She supervises and directs a staff composed of recruiters and staffing specialists responsible for servicing the hiring needs of companies in NWA.

Sara has been a very active member of the Northwest Arkansas Human Resource Association (NOARK) since 2006 and served on the board of directors for several years including having served as President in 2018. She received her PHR in 2014 and her SHRM-CP in 2015.

Talent Acquisition
Southern Bancorp

Holley has been volunteering for ARSHRM and its local chapters since 2002. She currently serves as the ARSHRM State Director. She served CAHRA as President and also received the CAHRA Rising Star award. She has served ARSHRM as Foundation Director, Core Leadership Area Director, and Chapter Advocate Director. Holley has served on numerous ELLA and ARSHRM State Conference committees co-chairing the State Conference in 2011. Holley received the ARSHRM HR Professional of the Year in 2016.  She is an appointee on the Governor’s Workforce Development Board and served as President of the Board of Education for Benton Public Schools. Holley directs the Talent Acquisition efforts for Southern Bancorp.

President
The Human Resources Team

Tim is the President of The Human Resources Team, a Little Rock based human resources management consulting company. His consulting firm provides assistance and resources in preparation, training, support and implementation of Affirmative Action Plans with Positive Solutions. He works with a wide and diverse range of industries including banks and financial institutions, utilities, health care, technology, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, nonprofit, construction, and service organizations. He has over 30 years of experience in all areas of functional areas of HR as a Director of Human Resources in manufacturing, service and financial industries and in his consulting firm with clients’ coast to coast. He is a top-rated speaker on the topic of Affirmative Action compliance for SHRM and conferences. He is a recipient of the Outstanding Member Award from the local SHRM chapter and the Arkansas Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development, the Arkansas Human Resources Professional of the Year Award, was finalist for the SHRM National Award for Professional Excellence, the Jim Wilkins Lifetime Achievement Award in Human Resources, and the Russell Gunter Legislative Advocacy Award. He is the 2024 ARSHRM Governmental Affairs Director.

VP of HR
Flywheel Digital 

Cathleen Hoffman, MBA, SHRM-SCP, SPHR is currently part of the Flywheel Digital People Team, and is responsible for global compliance.

Cathleen completed her BA in Psychology/Criminal Justice at the University of Arkansas in 1995, her MSLE at John Brown University in 2002, and her MBA at John Brown University in 2011.

Cathleen has more than 25 years of Human Resource experience. She is very active in the SHRM Human Resources Volunteer Community. She has been a member of SHRM (Society of Human Resources Management) for 20+ years. She has been a member of NOARK (Northwest Arkansas Human Resources Association) since 2000. She has served in various roles including Chapter President in 2008 with her last role being the NOARK Chapter Management Professional for 10 years. She has served in various roles on the ARSHRM State Council including ARSHRM State Director 2017-2019. She is the 2024 Professional Development Director.