Board of Directors

President

Madeline Roberts, APR, is a public relations manager at The Peacock Group with a background in media relations, crisis communications and executive communication. She was previously the director of communications for Pulaski County Government, where she served as the county’s spokesperson. Before that, she was the Executive Director of Strategic Marketing and Communication at her alma mater, Lyon College in Batesville, Ark. A Little Rock native, she holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a journalism concentration from Lyon and master’s degree in applied communication from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

President-Elect

Allison Bermudez, APR, is the public relations director at Stone Ward. Her experience spans more than two decades in corporate communications, internal, external, and executive communications, media relations, and crisis management. Before joining Stone Ward, she held senior communications leadership roles in the financial services and energy sectors.

A native of Mobile, Alabama, Bermudez is a graduate of Leadership Arkansas Class XV. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Mobile, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi, and Accreditation in Public Relations (APR).

Immediate Past President

Stella Prather, APR, is a public relations leader with more than 30 years of communications and public relations experience including strategic planning, research, media relations, communications planning and budgeting processes, event planning, managing volunteers, extensive writing and editing, website content management, graphic design and internal public relations. Currently, Prather is the communications director for Empower Healthcare Solutions. A native of Panama City, Fla., she earned a bachelor of science degree in public relations from The University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.

Vice President

Shealyn Sowers is a communications professional with deep expertise in storytelling, strategic communications and journalism who currently serves as an account supervisor at Ghidotti Communications. Before joining Ghidotti Communications, Shealyn served as communications director and spokesperson for Gov. Asa Hutchinson, managing media relations and public messaging throughout his administration. She later led strategic communications for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism under Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ administration.
A native of Clinton, Arkansas, Shealyn holds a degree in accounting from Ouachita Baptist University and a broadcast journalism degree from the University of Central Arkansas. She began her career in journalism at KARK and FOX16. Shealyn serves on the Downtown Little Rock Partnership Board of Directors and is an alumna of Leadership Arkansas.

Secretary

Brooke Wilson, APR, is the founder of Storyline Solutions, a strategic communications consultancy. With more than 12 years of experience in public relations, branding and organizational storytelling, Brooke has guided nonprofits and businesses in clarifying their voice, strengthening donor and community relationships, and driving measurable results. Brooke's expertise spans communication planning, brand development, event fundraising and message strategy. She has spoken at conferences, advised leadership teams and partnered with organizations to not only solve communication challenges, but also uncover opportunities for long-term growth. Brooke holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Baylor University and a Master of Science in strategic communication from Texas Christian University. 

Treasurer

Jessica Hughes Ford is the Chief Executive Officer for Arkansas Community Foundation. A native of Redfield, Arkansas, Ford holds a B.A. in Women’s Studies from the University of Wyoming and has worked in the nonprofit sector since 2003. Prior to joining the Community Foundation staff, Ford spent over 12 years at Heifer International. She piloted Heifer’s first “Women & Global Leadership Development Program” with a one-year assignment with Heifer Peru. Ford is also an alumni of the Thunderbird School of Global Management’s “Emerging Leaders in the Social Sector” program. She is a member of Leadership Greater Little Rock Class XXXVI, Renew America Together Civil Leadership Cohort Four and the Arkansas Chapter of PRSA.

Ethics Officer

Carson Horn, APR, is Vice President and Director of Public Relations at The Communications Group, where he leads the agency’s industry-recognized public relations department, drives the agency’s ag client portfolio, and serves on the executive leadership and new business committees.
Carson began his career in media in a dual role as a magazine editor and director of communications for a nonprofit association, before later transitioning into broadcasting. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications from Oklahoma State University and earned his Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) through the Public Relations Society of America in 2021.
He is the creator of the innovative PRESS POWER program and ComGroup’s award-winning Women in Industry (WIN) podcast, author of the annual Ag Marketing Trends Report, a PRSA Ambassador, and holds a certificate in Crisis Communications from PRSA. In 2015, Carson received the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Excellence in Communications & PR Award.

Director-At-Large, APR Chair

In her role as interim executive director for the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI), Sandra McGrew, APR, oversees strategic communication efforts on behalf of the health policy center.

Before joining ACHI, she spent several years working in the agency world, most recently in a leadership role at Ghidotti, where her work centered on public relations and content marketing. Sandra has 20 years of communications experience and began her career as a journalist. She holds a broadcast journalism degree from Harding University.

​Director-At-Large, Membership

Libby Doss Lloyd, APR, has nearly 30 years of experience in marketing, communications, and public relations primarily in the economic development and tourism sectors. She is currently the director of communications for the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau (LRCVB) where she has served for more than a decade. She directs public relations strategy and leads media outreach and communications frequently working with local, state, regional, national, and international media.

She has built relationships with more than 300 travel journalists and influencers on behalf of Arkansas’ capital city to best tell Little Rock’s stories. Libby holds her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) and is a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University. She is a McGehee native.

Director-At-Large, Prisms/ARCom Awards

As a third-generation public relations professional, strategic storytelling runs in Allyson’s DNA. With 14 years of experience in non-profit and for-profit industries, she has a proven track record of strengthening company brand and awareness, delivering engaging content strategies and increasing revenue growth. She has a passion for people – being around them, learning about them and helping them – and enjoys supporting her clients’ missions.

Allyson serves on the boards of the Arkansas Diaper Bank; Ouachita Children, Youth and Family Services; PRSA Arkansas and Wolfe Street Foundation. She is a member of Leadership Arkansas Class XVII and a graduate of the Leadership Greater Little Rock Class of XXXII. She graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). She was named a ‘40 Under 40’ honoree by Arkansas Business and was included in Arkansas Money & Politics’ ‘Future 50’ feature.

Director-At-Large, PRSSA Chapter Liaison

Dr. Carrie Phillips, APR is the Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at UA Little Rock, where she leads brand strategy, enrollment marketing, and institutional storytelling. She led the strategic communication and engagement efforts behind a transformative, mostly in-house website project, the university’s first comprehensive redesign and content refresh in over a decade. Her leadership has also helped reverse a 13-year enrollment decline and supported the launch of a $250 million capital campaign. A nationally recognized thought leader, Carrie frequently presents at AMA and CASE. She holds a doctorate from Texas Tech University with her dissertation focusing on marketing’s role in addressing the enrollment cliff. She currently serves as Chair of CASE's marketing conference, Chair of CASE IV, and is a member of PRSA’s CHE Executive Committee.