Governor appoints nonprofit executive to Arkansas State Board of Education

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders named Gary Stark as the newest member of the Arkansas State Board of Education Monday. 

A sixth-generation native of Cleburne County, Stark is a “lifelong educator, military veteran, and nonprofit executive who has spent more than 35 years serving students, teachers, schools, and communities,” according to a press release. 

Stark most recently served as Senior Advisor for K-12 Education with the Bentonville-based Walton Personal Philanthropy Group, where he supported education initiatives and partnerships across Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. 

Stark is replacing outgoing board chair Adrienne Woods, and his term expires June 30, 2033. Woods, an attorney, was appointed to the board in 2020 by then-Gov. Asa Hutchinson. 

“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,” he said.

Sanders picks Jonesboro exec for Arkansas education board

Stark is the Republican governor’s sixth appointment to the state’s nine-member education board. She appointed Ken Bragg and Leigh Keener in 2023, Gary Arnold in 2024, and Aaron Abbott and David Peacock in 2025.

“Spending more than three decades serving students and teachers at every level of education, from the classroom to national leadership, Gary knows that student success starts with great teachers equipped with the tools they need to help every kid reach their full potential,” Sanders said. 

Stark earned his doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Arkansas and holds bachelor’s, master’s and educational specialist degrees from the University of Central Arkansas. 

He began his career as a classroom teacher in Tennessee before becoming a principal in Arkansas. Stark received the Milken Educator Award in 2001 for his leadership and commitment to student success, according to the release.

Stark has advised state and national education leaders, including the United States Department of Education as a special assistant. He is also chairman and board member of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching and serves on the board of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas.