Board

Mary Callender

Board President | Sr Team Lead, Abbott Nutrition

Garrett Washington

Board Vice President | Market President for Commercial Lending, Great Southern Bank

Cassie Murray

Board Secretary | Omni Channel Manager, Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream

Holly L. Sutton

Board Treasurer | Sr. Director-Tax Department, Tyson Foods

Ashley Abel

Director, Digital Product Strategy & Governance, Walmart

Deanah Baker

SVP General Merchandise Manager of Apparel, Walmart

Rob Dodd

EVP of Operations, Nabholz Construction

Hunter Haynes

Owner, HCH Consulting

Shelly McDougal

Senior Director Merchandising, Walmart

Emily Neal

Partner, Eldridge Brooks Partners Law Firm

Simone Schwarze

Category Account Manager eCommerce, Nestle

Lauren Spear

VP of Sales for Walmart & Sam’s Club, Mars Inc.

Board President | Sr Team Lead, Abbott Nutrition

Mary Callender

Hello, my name is Mary, and I first joined the board at the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter in 2017 after several years of volunteering. The thing I love most about the NWAWS is that it has a direct impact everyday on our community, and it gives people a chance to make a change that can save their lives. Also, I love that we are passionate about educating individuals in NWA about domestic violence so we can stop the cycle of DV in NWA. In my free time, I love being outside, especially at Grand Lake in Oklahoma and all the great trails in Bella Vista and the rest of NWA.

Board Vice President | Market President for Commercial Lending, Great Southern Bank

Garrett Washington

Garrett here! I have been serving on the Board of Directors for just a few months now. It has been a good learning experience, and I love the work the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter does. I love the passion and drive to assist within the community, and the collective effort by everyone involved in the organization to get things accomplished! My girlfriend and I really enjoy hiking and other out door activities, and our dog does, too! Crossfit and working out are big parts of my life, as well as spending time with family and friends.

Board Secretary | Omni Channel Manager, Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream

Cassie Murray

Board Treasurer | Sr. Director-Tax Department, Tyson Foods

Holly L. Sutton

Director, Digital Product Strategy & Governance, Walmart

Ashley Abel

Hi, my name is Ashley, and I am the Past-President of the Board for the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter. For the past four years, I have served on the board for the NWAWS in some capacity. At the NWAWS, we do not discriminate against anyone who needs our services because domestic violence doesn’t discriminate. If you feel unsafe under your roof, we will help you! In me free time, I enjoy yoga and reading. Thank you for your support of our organization!

SVP General Merchandise Manager of Apparel, Walmart

Deanah Baker

Hi there! My name is Deanah, and I am currently serving my fifth year on the board at the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter. One of my favorite things about being on the board is knowing that the NWAWS is helping immediately in crisis situations. Also, I love how the NWAWS can provide long-term support with our outreach services even after clients move out of shelter. When I am not at work or volunteering, I love to work out, shop, eat, and spend time with family and friends.

EVP of Operations, Nabholz Construction

Rob Dodd

Hello, my name is Rob! I first learned about the NWAWS at last year’s Fresh StART event and was quite surprised of the need for the services provided in our community. NWA is a wonderful community and serving on the NWAWS board is a great way to give back to the community and provide support to an organization whose core values include the betterment of the community. My favorite thing about the NWAWS is the dedicated, hard working, compassionate staff,and the individuals and companies that donate their time and resources to support the mission of the Shelter. In my spare time, I love spending time with my family, boating on Beaver Lake, playing golf, traveling, enjoying good coffee, and being a Poppy to my beautiful granddaughter

Owner, HCH Consulting

Hunter Haynes

Hey you: I’ve had the awesome opportunity of joining the NWAWS Board of Directors the summer of 2020. I am honored to have been asked to serve in this capacity. I am constantly amazed and humbled by the entire staff and their accomplishments at the shelter to date; I am fortunate to have the opportunity to support their efforts to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. As a human being here in NWA, I feel it is our responsibility to do what we can to make NWA a safe place for all people to live and raise their family. In my free time I enjoy being anywhere with my kiddos and of course this great place we call home “ The Natural State”.

Senior Director Merchandising, Walmart

Shelly McDougal

Meet our board member Shelly! “Hi, Shelly here! I have had the honor of serving on the NWA Women’s Shelter Board for the past 3 years. One of the best parts is knowing that the work we are doing to empower clients, educate the community, and end domestic violence is changing lives! Over the past few years I have heard several stories from survivors-stories of hope and transformation- each one unique but each made possible through the support and passion the NWAWS staff brings to everything they do. I also love that our outreach and education programs are making a difference, often stopping domestic violence before it starts. In my free time I enjoy reading, gardening, and spending time outdoors with my family. We spend most of our free time on the lake, golf course, or enjoying the beautiful mountain bike trails in NWA.” Thank you, Shelly, for all you do for our organization. We appreciate you. #board #boardmembers #thankyouboard

Partner, Eldridge Brooks Partners Law Firm

Emily Neal

Emily here! I have had the honor of being on the board at the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter for a little over one year now. My favorite part about my position on the board is serving the community I live in through my gifting as an attorney! When I am not serving on the board, I love to hike, do yoga, read, be a tourist, and I am also a proud baseball mom.

Category Account Manager eCommerce, Nestle

Simone Schwarze

My journey as a board member for the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter started three years ago, and I have learned so much during that time. I am amazed how the community stands behind us and supports the NWAWS during the most challenging times. Also, I love how much passion the NWAWS staff has as they work to break the cycle of DV in NWA. It’s just very inspiring, and I continue to learn from the NWAWS every day. Some of my hobbies include spending time with family, playing tennis, or reading a good book!

VP of Sales for Walmart & Sam’s Club, Mars Inc.