Board of Trustees
The University's Administration works with the Board of Trustees to shape policy and direction for the institution. The leadership and service provided by these distinguished and committed men and women of the Board of Trustees is greatly valued. Trustees with Emeritus status are recognized and honored for their past extraordinary service to the institution.
Dr. Tionna Jenkins, ’01, Board Chair
Plate It Healthy & O’nita Lee Foods, LLC
Little Rock, Arkansas
Dr. Patti Freemyer Martin, Vice Chair
Arkansas Children’s Hospital
Little Rock, Arkansas
Reverend Mark Norman, ’94, Secretary
Highland Valley UMC
Little Rock, AR
Ms. Chara Stewart Abrams
System Director
CHRISTUS Health
Irving, TX
Dr. Jessica Ellis, ’03
Associate Dean for Administration
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, AR
Dr. Dexter Booth, ’77
Retired Educator
Little Rock, Arkansas
Mr. Terence Cox
Application Development Manager
City of Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Ms. Karyn Bradford Coleman, ’14
ASDC Midwest Regional Director
Democratic National Convention
Little Rock, Arkansas
Ms. Alice Richardson, ’77
PSU National Alumni Association
Little Rock, Arkansas
Mrs. Lisa A. Menzies-Earvin
Retired, Johnson Controls, Inc. National Energy
Atlanta, Georgia
Bishop Laura Merrill
Arkansas Conference – United Methodist Church
Little Rock, Arkansas
Mr. Curtis Howse
CEO of Home & Auto Platforms at Synchrony Financial
Little Rock, AR
Mr. Sam Roberts, Esq.
Senior Counsel
Walmart Corporation
Bentonville, Arkansas
Rev. Dr. Ulysses C. Washington
District Superintendent – Little Rock
Arkansas Conference – United Methodist Church
Little Rock, Arkansas
Mr. Arnell Willis, ’77
Retired, AR Department of Workforce Services
Little Rock, AR
Dr. Crystal Banks
Executive Director
The Black College Fund and Ethnic Concerns
Nashville, TN
Ex-Officio
Dr. Maurice D. Gipson
Interim President and CEO, Philander Smith University
Little Rock, Arkansas
Dr. Lloyd Sain Jr.
Faculty Representative, Philander Smith University
Little Rock, Arkansas
Mr. Alex Hardy, ’25
Student Representative, Philander Smith University
Little Rock, Arkansas
Trustees Emerti
Dr. Charles W. Donaldson, ’69
Retired Educator/CEO of Donaldson & Donaldson Associates, LLC
Little Rock, AR
Rev. Larry W. Ross, ’69
Retired Elder of the Christian Methodist Church
Sherwood, AR
Ms. Lottie Shackelford, ’79
Politician/Former Mayor of Little Rock
Little Rock, AR
Mr. Charles O. Stewart
Retired Businessman/Co-founder & Chairman of AR Black Hall of Fame
Little Rock, AR
Mr. Sherman Tate, ’70
Retired Businessman
Little Rock, AR
Mr. Robert Blue, ’68
Retired ExxonMobil Executive
Little Rock, AR
Dr. Etta F. Carter, ’63
Retired Educator
Little Rock, AR