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JAMES E. BOBO, MBA
Chairman
After a thriving 38-year career with the Entergy Corporation, the Little Rock Diamond Foundation was pleased to welcome James Bobo, one of the founding members, as Board Chairman. During his professional career at Entergy, he worked primarily in Power Plant Operations, Nuclear Design Engineering, Customer Service, and Regulatory Services. As a motivated, results-oriented collaborator, James was key to getting the Foundation up and running. He holds a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Management.
James has served the local community on the Arkansas Repertory Theatre board of directors; Youth Home, Inc. board of directors for 12 years (1-year as board president); Downtown Kiwanis; Little Rock Central PTSA Co-President; United Way Planning and Allocations Committee; and as a coach at Riverdale Soccer Club and Penick Boys and Girls Club. He currently serves on the UA Little Rock Alumni Board and is a member of the UA Little Rock Centennial Campaign Cabinet. He is also an active member of the Little Rock (AR) Alumni Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
James is an Elder at Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, where he also leads a Discipleship (study) Group and serves on the Guest eXperience Team. James is married to Rose and together, they have 4 adult children and 14 grandchildren. In his spare time, James enjoys traveling, playing golf, and spending time with family and friends.
DIETERICK GOVAN, DBA
Director
Dr. Dieterick Govan is an essential part of the leadership team and has been with Little Rock Diamond Foundation since the very beginning. As a professor in higher education, he has worked with and helped countless students achieve their educational dreams. He holds a Doctorate of Business Administration, a Master of Business Administration, and a Bachelor in Business Administration.
Dr. Govan has served more than 10 years in higher education and is currently a Business Professor at Webster University and The University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff. Dr. Govan has also taught at UA-Pulaski Tech, Philander Smith College, and the University of Phoenix in the business departments. Dr. Govan is also working as a Bookkeeper at an Industrial Fastener Company in North Little Rock, Arkansas with over 20 years of service. Socially, he is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and a member of Prince Hall Masonic Lodge of Arkansas: Protho Lodge #281.
CHRISSY CHATHAM, MBA
Director
Chrissy Chatham has worked in the nonprofit arena for 16 years and has served in leadership positions since 2007. Chrissy has spent the majority of her career working with missions to help children and teens fulfill human services and mental health needs, as well as, achieve an education. She believes the next generation can and should be set up for success, especially those with the odds stacked against them. As the former CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Chrissy was able to serve the children and families of central Arkansas. She currently serves as Executive Director of the Delta Dental Foundation.
Chrissy recently earned her MBA from UA Little Rock and is a graduate of Hendrix College with a degree in psychology. She is a member of Leadership Greater Little Rock, Class 26, serves on the LGLR Alumni board, and served as chair of the Education Initiative Committee. She has previously served on the board of directors for the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Arkansas Chapter and the Arkansas chapter of the American Childhood Cancer Organization of America.
Chrissy and her husband, Jeremy, live in Hillcrest with their lovable Goldendoodle, Theo.
JANAN ARNOLD THOMAS, ESQ.
Director
JaNan Arnold Thomas has practiced law in Arkansas for twenty-one years. She has practiced in the area of Civil Rights Defense at Rainwater, Holt & Sexton since 2005. JaNan was born and raised in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Her father was a soft drink bottler and local legislator; her mother was the Spanish teacher at the local high school.
After graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ouachita Baptist University in 1994, JaNan attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law, where she graduated with honors with her Juris Doctorate in 1997. She was a law clerk for Judge Andree Layton Roaf at the Arkansas Court of Appeals until 1998 and then practiced in U1e law firm of Perroni & James in the areas of criminal defense and civil litigation. JaNan was elected as the City Attorney of Maumelle in 2001 and served in that position until the end of 2014.
JaNan has been an Arkansas Bar Association member since 1997. She has served on the Executive Council for the Young Lawyers Division and was a member of the House of Delegates. She is currently a member of the Arkansas Bar Association Committee on Diversity. She is also a member of the Pulaski County Bar Association, the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers, the Arkansas Association of Defense Counsel, and the International Municipal Lawyers Association. JaNan is a past president of the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers and the Arkansas Association of City Attorneys. JaNan provides training to lawyers on various litigation issues and provides training to law enforcement officers on jail law, constitutional law, and use of force.
JaNan has three daughters: Elizabeth (20), Emmeline ("Emme")( 18), and Ella Fu (14 ). She is a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. JaNan was active in international missions for 13 years and led teams to East Asia for various projects between 2002 and 2013. She attends the Greater Little Rock campus of New Life Church and is active in local missions and service projects.
DARRYL "TATE" SWINTON, MBA
Director
Darryl Swinton serves as the Executive Director of Housing & Economic Development for Better Community Development Inc. In this capacity, he is responsible for all aspects of affordable housing, weatherization, and economic development for the Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDO) certification status and neighborhood reinvestment initiatives.
Darryl serves as President/Owner of Diamond Legacy Group, LLC. a licensed General Contractor and Realtor. He also provides bid inspections on residential and commercial properties, as well as, new construction and rehabilitation. In this capacity, he has researched, purchased, constructed, and developed over 200 units of income-producing properties, both Single Family and Multi-Family Housing units in hard-to-serve communities.
Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors of Southern Bancorp. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas. He also served as Chairperson of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas Advisory Council, Vice-Chair of Housing Arkansas, former Chairperson of the Community Housing Advisory Board for the City of Little Rock, and a host of other Boards and Commissions.
Darryl holds an MBA in finance from Webster University and a BBA in business finance from the University of Central Arkansas. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc. and resides in Little Rock with his Karen and two kids Darryl Jr. and Taylor. He attends Theresa Hoover Memorial United Methodist Church.
OCIE HUNTER, BS
Director
Ocie Hunter, Jr. received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, as well as a Master in Business Administration, and Master in Arts in Human Resources Management. He is current working for Department of Human Services within the Division of Youth Services as Program Manager. He been working for the State of Arkansas for 6 ½ years.
Ocie is an active member of the Little Rock (AR) Alumni Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Also he serves as the Keeper of Exchequer for the Arkansas Caucus for Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Ocie attends New Hope Baptist Church in North Little Rock. In his spare time he enjoys playing golf, swimming, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
DeMARREO D. TIDWELL, BS
Director
DeMarreo D. Tidwell is a 2020 graduate of UA Little Rock School of Social Work Master’s Program. He also holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree. DeMarreo currently works as a licensed therapist at Methodist Residential Treatment Center. He has over five years of experience working directly with children struggling with behavior issues. He is currently pursuing a Doctoral degree in Social Work at Capella University.
DeMarreo has volunteered with the Little Learners of Our House Shelter in Little Rock, Arkansas. He served as Vice-President of the Association of Black Social Workers at UA Little Rock. (2019-2020). He is an active member of the Little Rock (AR) Alumni Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. He has engaged in membership with The National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the National Association of Social Workers, and Phi Alpha.
DeMarreo is originally from Stephens, Arkansas. He has spent the last several years focusing on educational endeavors, but he enjoys hiking, cycling, bowling, and enjoying time with his family and close friends in his free time.
RAYMOND HEAGGANS, BS
Director
Little Rock Diamond Foundation is excited to have Raymond Heaggans as one of our newest board members! Raymond is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff with a Bachelor of Science degree in Science. He worked for the Arkansas Department of Health as an Environmental Health Specialist, Program Specialist, and Central Region Environmental Manager until retirement in 2016 after 39 years of service in the Public Health sector.
Raymond is the Past President of the Arkansas State Employee Association where he was also a board member for a total of 8 years. He was appointed to the SEGAP panel by then-Governor Jim Guy Tucker. He was also appointed to the Arkansas State Board of Sanitation where he served as Board Chairman, as well as, Secretary/Treasurer. Raymond also served as the Arkansas State Representative to the American Public Health Association for 8 years.
He serves as a trustee at The Rock of Ages Baptist Church in Maumelle, Arkansas. Raymond and his wife Donita have two adult children and two grandchild whom he loves spending time with.
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