News

August 11, 2008: Youth Leadership Program (YLP) returns from their Cultural Exchange Program in Hanam City, South Korea.

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September 3, 2008: Monthly meeting at City Hall - 11:30 a.m.

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• Youth Leadership Program (YLP)
• Commissioner Bios
• Sister Cities

Brian Barnhouse

Biography Coming Soon!

Misty Borkowski

In February, 2005, Misty Wilson Borkowski was appointed as a commissioner to the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission and served two terms as Secretary. She was elected Chairman of the Commission for 2008.

Misty is also liaison to Little Rock's Sister City Pachuca, Mexico.

Misty has a long standing interest in international cultures. She graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a B.A. in International Studies. During her undergraduate studies, she lived two summers in Guadalajara, Mexico, and attended an intensive Spanish language and culture program offered through UALR in partnership with the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara. Misty then went on to earn a J.D. at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law, during which she attended a summer law school program on international marketing and transactions in Guanajuato, Mexico. Later, Misty took a hiatus from her private law practice in order to live in Pamplona, Spain to study at the Universidad de Navarra, Facultad de Derecho on a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship. Misty has traveled extensively throughout Europe and married her husband, a native Arkansan, in Pamplona. Misty and her husband, Glenn Borkowski, also an attorney, have three young children.

Misty worked in the Criminal Appeals Division of the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office for six years. However, she is currently an attorney with James, Carter & Coulter, PLC, with a focus on an immigration law practice. Additionally, she is an adjunt professor at the University of Arkansas Bowen School of Law, teaching Immigration Law. Misty has been appointed to serve as the liaison to the new sister city in Mexico, which will be formally signed on April 25, 2007, in conjunction with the opening of the Mexican Consul locating in Little Rock. Misty is also the PTA Vice-President of Gibbs Magnet School for International Studies and Foreign Languages and is on the fundraising team that is committed to raising money for a new playground for the students.

One of the highlights for Misty as a new commissioner was having some of the 2006 ILBA winners, especially the accordion duo from Poland, perform for everyone in her living room at the after-concert dinner. (http://www.jamescartercoulterlaw.com/)

Linda Brown

In January, 2002, Linda W. Brown was appointed as a commissioner to the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission and served as Chairman of the commission in 2005-2006. Linda first became involved with Sister Cities when she assisted in planning and taking part in an official delegation with Mayor Lottie Shackleford to Tokyo, Hong Kong, and our Sister City of Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 1988. She serves at liaison to our Sister City Changchun, PRC.

Linda has a strong interest in international cultures and history. She graduated in 1983 from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a B.A. focused on language and International Studies. During her undergraduate studies, she traveled widely in Europe and elsewhere, and earned a major number of hours in the German language.

Linda has been involved in the community by serving as President of the Board of the Bess Chisum Stephens YWCA in 1988-89 and as a volunteer for various organizations.

She worked in the travel business from 1982-2002, and since then has been Managing Director of Accademia dell’Arte, a school for the performing arts located in Arezzo, Italy. The school is a study abroad program in theatre, music, and the visual arts.

Bob Callans

On September 3, 1996, Bob Callans was appointed to the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission. He became involved with international affiliations in 1992 when he became a member of the Ottenheimer International Youth Project (OIYP) a committee of the Little Rock Rotary Club (Club 99). The OIYP is the longest standing committee in Club 99 and was developed to promote international goodwill and friendship by hosting two foreign youth for six weeks in Little Rock since 1947. Bob served as Chair of OIYP for three years and has continued to serve on this committee since joining. He is liaison to our Sister City Hanam City, South Korea.

Bob’s work on the LRSCC started immediately with planning for the Sister Cities International Conference hosted by Little Rock in 1999. He was soon appointed Public Relation Chairman for this highly successful conference. Bob later served two years as Chairman of the commission from 2001-2003. He is currently serving as the official liaison to Hanam City, South Korea, and as President of the board of the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission Foundation.

Bob has served on numerous Little Rock commissions, committees and task forces like Future Little Rock. He was appointed to the Little Rock City Beautiful Commission for seven years and was chair in 1987. Bob is a 1987 graduate of the Greater Little Rock Leadership Institute. He is currently on the board of Keep Little Rock Beautiful.

Bob is the owner and President of Bob Callans and Associates (BC&A). BC&A has been practicing landscape architecture in Arkansas and surrounding states since l978. BC&A has been involved in all aspects of landscape architecture with specific expertise in residential garden design, park/trail design, commercial design, streetscape design and land planning.

Bob graduated from Conway High School, attended UCA and Miami Dade Junior College, served four years in the Air Force and graduated in1976 from Louisiana State University with a BLA degree in Landscape Architecture.

Bob has held every position in the Arkansas Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). He served seven years as the Arkansas Trustee to the national board and was elected and served two years as National Vice President of Membership for ASLA in 1998. Currently he serves on the ASLA Leadership Development Committee. Bob was honored to be the first Arkansan to be inducted as an ASLA Fellow in 1995.

Carmen McHaney

Carmen McHaney was appointed to the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission in 2000. She has served as Commission Chairman and Secretary, and is currently the Commission's liaison to Kaohsiung, Taiwan. She also served in 2006 as President of the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission Foundation.

Since childhood, Carmen has been interested in developing relationships with individuals from different cultures. She credits her parents for helping her develop this interest as they encouraged her to study in Europe during high school, visit a college friend in South America and study hula and American History at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu.

Her first experience with the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission was in 1999 when she and her husband Jim kept two 9-year-old boys from Little Rock Sister City Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The boys were here to perform with their classmates at the International Sister Cities Conference held in Little Rock that year. One of the boys' mothers accompanied him on the trip to Little Rock and she and Carmen became friends. They have been penpals ever since, and even have had the opportunity to meet face-to-face twice since then.

"This is the most fulfilling volunteer job I've ever had. Having the opportunity to get to know people from all over the world while working with our city officials and promoting the best of Little Rock is an unbeatable experience!"

Carmen is a Merchandise Coordinator in the Corporate Advertising Department for Dillard's. She is a graduate of Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, and presently serves on its Advisory Board of Visitors. Before being appointed to the Little Rock Sister Cities Commissioner, Carmen served on the Little Rock Arts & Promotion Commission. She is a Sustaining Member of the Junior League of Little Rock, and has served on many community boards and volunteered for many organizations.

Steve Michell

Biography Coming Soon!

Deun A. Ogunlana

Ms. Deun A. Ogunlana is the founder and CEO of African Women's Health Project International, a non-profit corporation that is helping to collect and distribute medical equipment and supplies to women and children in Africa.

A journalist by trade, Ogunlana is the publisher and chief editor of the spiritual-based magazine publication called “Virtuous Woman” magazine. She is currently working on a book that will feature fashions over the years as well as a Wedding Planning Book of Culture and Customs. Ms. Deun A. Ogunlana is the outreach coordinator of Calvary Bread of Life Ministries International, and owner of Bridal Blessings – a complete wedding coordination boutique. She is mother of three beautiful girls – Lola 20, Bola 14, and Shola 6.

Ms. Ogunlana graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1991 with a B.A. in Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations. She has completed graduate studies in International Relations from Southern California University for Professional Studies in Santa Ana, California. She has received numerous volunteer and community service awards and recently received the National Leadership Award as Honorary Chairman of NRCC.

Emma Jane Ohnemus

Emma Jane Ohnemus first became associated with the Commission in 1998 as Chairman of the Mons, Belgium committee. In 2003, she was appointed to the Commission and, in 2005, was elected as its Treasurer. She has visited our sister cities of Mons, Belgium and Ragusa, Italy, and our Friendship City La Petite Pierre, France.

Johnnie Pugh

Johnnie Pugh served as a member of the Little Rock Board of Directors from 1999 until 2007.

She is a new member of the Sister Cities commission in 2007, but she has been active with Sister Cities as liaison to the commission from the Little Rock Board of Directors.

Mrs. Pugh has been a licensed Practical Nurse since 1959, is a member of Holy Cross Baptist Church and involved in many areas of the community such as St. Vincent Women’s Advisory Board, Interfaith Board of Directors, and SBC Consumer panel.

She has been appointed to several positions by the city, including the Animal Services Advisory Board, Environmental Task Force, Little Rock Port Authority, Mayoral Liaison to Tornado Rebuild Efforts, Municipal Airport Commission, and Project Progress Committee.

Jeff Stinson

Mr. Stinson is currently the Executive Director of and an investor in the Fund for Arkansas’ Future, an “angel” investor fund that invests in early stage, Arkansas-based companies. The fund, with $6.6 million of committed capital, is comprised of almost 60 individual investors, and is managed by its individual members. It seeks companies with innovative business models and the ability to grow rapidly.

Mr. Stinson began his career in 1989 as a CPA with the Nashville, Tennessee office of a Big 5 public accounting firm, representing clients in the health care, banking, manufacturing, and printing and publishing industries. Subsequently, in his role as Director of Marketing for a large, publicly-traded health care organization, he was instrumental in developing strategic plans for individual business units to position those units for long-term success.

After obtaining his MBA, with honors, from the Owen School of Management at Vanderbilt, he moved to Little Rock in 1999 and has worked extensively in the private equity markets. In 2001, he launched and developed his own successful business advisory practice, representing clients in the retail, real estate, and private equity industries.

He currently serves as a Board member for Youth Home, Inc., Commissioner on the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission, Little Rock Sister Cities Foundation Board, Advisory Board for TechPreneur, Arkansas Venture Forum Committee, and volunteer for Easter Seals Arkansas, American Cancer Society, Our House, Vision Little Rock, and the Governor’s Cup student business plan competition. He also is a volunteer speaker for Arkansas Scholars and Volunteers in Public Schools. He is a graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock, Class XVI., and was a 2006 Arkansas Business “40 Under 40” honoree.

Nancy Rousseau

Biography Coming Soon!

Penelope Sur

Biography Coming Soon!

Carolyn B. Witherspoon

As a business owner and lifelong citizen of Little Rock, Carolyn Witherspoon has an obvious interest in the success and growth of Little Rock. Carolyn feels that Little Rock profits from exposure to other cities’ culture, economy, history, and goals. In addition, the exposure can result in opportunities for the development of new business for Little Rock.

Carolyn has served on numerous boards including the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Foundation Fund, Women’s Foundation of Arkansas, Women and Children First, League of Women Voters (Pulaski County), Arkansas Women Executives, Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Arkansas Women's History Institute, and VOCALS. As an arbitrator for the Court of Arbitration for Sport and a member of the Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA), Carolyn is involved with international legal issues and programs from time to time. She is a member of numerous legal organizations including the American Law Institute and American Arbitration Association Roster of Employment Arbitrators and Mediators and the Large Complex Case Panel. Carolyn is a graduate of the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce Leadership Institute. She served as a member of the Little Rock Housing Authority Board of Commissioners for 14 years. She also was a member of the Arkansas Real Estate Commission. Carolyn has served in a number of leadership roles in some of the above organizations and the Arkansas Bar Association (President), Pulaski County Bar Association (President), and the American Bar Association (House of Delegates).

Carolyn earned her B.A. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She received her J.D. with honors from the University of Little Rock at Little Rock. Carolyn is a Director at the law offices of Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon & Galchus, P.C.

The Arkansas Bar Association awarded Carolyn the Charles L. Carpenter Memorial Award in 2005. She is listed in Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, America's Leading Business Lawyers, Who’s Who Legal USA – Management Labour & Employment, Corporate Counsel magazine, Best Lawyers – Labor & Employment, and Mid-South Super Lawyers in Employment & Labor Law.