Cleburne County Native Appointed to Arkansas State Board of Education

Jul 27, 2026 NEA Report Cleburne County, Statewide 0

Sanders Appoints Gary Stark to Board

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has appointed longtime educator Gary Stark to the Arkansas State Board of Education, the governor’s office announced Monday.

Stark will replace Adrienne Woods and serve a term expiring June 30, 2033.

“Few people understand what it takes to build great schools better than Gary Stark,” Sanders said, citing his more than three decades of experience in education.

Stark is a sixth-generation Cleburne County native and has worked as a classroom teacher, principal, nonprofit executive and education adviser. He most recently served as senior adviser for K-12 education with the Walton Personal Philanthropy Group, supporting education initiatives and partnerships in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

“I am honored to be appointed by Governor Sanders to serve on the State Board of Education,” Stark said. “I look forward to working with the governor, my fellow board members, parents and educators across Arkansas to advance an education system that supports all students.”

Stark began his career as a teacher in Tennessee before becoming a principal in Arkansas. He received the Milken Educator Award in 2001 and later served as vice president of the Milken Family Foundation and president and CEO of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching.

He also served as a special assistant with the U.S. Department of Education. Stark remains chairman and a board member of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching and serves on the board of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas.

A military veteran, Stark earned a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Arkansas. He also holds bachelor’s, master’s and educational specialist degrees from the University of Central Arkansas.

Stark and his family have lived in Northwest Arkansas for the past 30 years. His wife is a retired educator, and they have two daughters and two grandchildren.

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