#2BFayetteville

A native of Little Rock, Elizabeth attended Mount St. Mary Academy for high school and the University of Arkansas, Fulbright Col- lege, where she earned a BA in Communications. When she began the Leadership Fayetteville Program, she was a Regional Director for the American Heart Associ- ation, raising funds while planning Paint the Town Red and the Heart Gala. She pondered leaving the nonprofit world for a time and worked at Romance Diamond Co. on Dick- son Street, as the Public Relations and Marketing Manager but eventually wound up returning to nonprofits. She landed at the Children's Safety Cen- ter of Washington County in 2008 as Development Director, and then went on to become the organiza- tions Executive Director in October of 2009, a position she still has today. Her job is to oversee the daily op- erations of the CSC, as well as lead her team of 13. "Fayetteville must be one of the best places to live and work in the nation," Elizabeth said. "It is not just that our town has so much to offer, but we are so close to so much, whether it is Northwest Arkansas, the rest of the Natural State or beyond. From technology to people, every opportunity is a fin- gertip or phone call away. However, the best thing about Fayetteville is the people. All of those key op- portunities to connect and to network are invaluable." Get Elizabeth talking about the perks of life in Fayetteville, she becomes quite excited. "Have you been to the Fayetteville Public Library?," she asks. "The Farmer's Market? Sat- urdays in the fall at Razor- back Stadium? I could go on and on. But perhaps the best thing about Fayette- ville is our city leadership. Mayor Jordan leads an incredible staff that works tirelessly. Our community is willing, repeatedly, to invest in the town, to make sure our community stays great for decades to come. On top of all of that, we are so close to nature that, if you want, Devil's Den, the Razorback Green Way, and more they are just a few minutes away." Elizabeth has a special connection to the Leader- ship Fayetteville Program for one very important and personal reason. "Per- sonally, the best thing to come from my Leadership Program experience was meeting Scott, my sweet husband," Elizabeth smiled. "Of course, I also met a wonderful group of peers, many of whom became friends and professional colleagues. One in partic- ular is Chris Thornton, with Arvest Bank. During the program, little did I know, Chris would become a mentor for me and now I consider him and his entire family as some of the strongest volunteers and supporters of the Chil- dren's Safety Center." Elizabeth believes the fact that Fayetteville is a college town, and a great one at that, accounts for how vibrant and energetic the town is. "Because it's a college town, young people are continually interested in moving here, growing up here, starting families and discovering what their lives will become," she noted. "In that way, so long as Fayetteville takes care of itself, the people who love it will keep taking care of it." Elizabeth Shackelford Leadership Fayetteville Program 12

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