Director’s Letter
Twenty-five years ago, Arkansas Business published its last “Top 100 Women of Arkansas,” a five-year initiative designed to showcase female talent across our state, talent that was deserving of and needed to serve on boards and assume leadership positions across our business community. These original Top 100 Women did indeed go on to become some of the first generation of women breaking barriers by sitting on state and national high profile business boards, and they paved the way for the next generation of women who followed.
Today, our business media is filled with the names and faces of women leading our state, including our first female governor, the pinnacle of leadership in our state — so why a new list now?
This list is not called the “Top 100 Women in Arkansas” for a reason. This list is called the “Top 100 Women of Impact.” This is a collective list based on nominations from friends, colleagues and admirers of women across our state who may not necessarily be a household name, but are making a difference in their community, their job sector and our state. We want to stress the importance and connectedness of the women you recognize on this list and the women you don’t. Simply put, these are women who are committed to improving the lives of all Arkansans.
We are a small state. There are only a few degrees of separation between each of us. We honor and recognize these women and their impact because they are only a few degrees from the problems that plague our state, and they are doing something about it. We need this list and the women on it so we can amplify the narrative that Arkansas is working hard to make itself a state where every person can thrive. We need to showcase the good work that is happening so we are inspired and see others rise to the challenge of bringing forward solutions to our problems.
At the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas, we champion the vital role women play in our state’s economy. Its health and success are intrinsically tied to the individuals you will learn about in this publication. We could not be more proud to partner in the publication of this new list a generation later because we know these women — their stories, their lives, their impact — are connected to the next generation of Arkansans and our opportunity for a better future.
My deep appreciation,
Anna Beth Gorman
Chief Executive Officer, Women’s Foundation of Arkansas
TOP 100 WOMEN OF IMPACT IN ARKANSAS 2023
Click on a name to read more.
► Kim Koch
► Shirley Moorehead Washington
REQUIRED READING
25 Years Bold: A Timeline • A snapshot of the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas’ grounbreaking history. Read it here.
The State of Women in Arkansas • Analyzing the biggest barriers working women in The Natural State have yet to break down. Read it here.
Paying Your Future Self • Why committing to your future financial freedom is so critical, even if retirement feels like a lifetime away. Read it here.
Saving Mothers • While Arkansas grapples with the nation’s highest maternal mortality rate, solutions are within reach. Read it here.
A WOMEN’S FOUNDATION OF ARKANSAS INITIATIVE