2020-2021 Board of Directors

Each board member brings a unique set of skills to the organization and we are honored to have women from a multitude of backgrounds serving on our board.

Megan Nichols

President

Megan has been a resident of Fort Smith since 2016. With more than nine years of banking experience, she currently serves as an Assistant Vice President, Commercial Relationship Manager with Regions Bank. Megan is a graduate of Lavaca High School and earned her bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith in 2015. In 2019, Megan received the “Young Alumni of the Year” award from the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, College of Business. She is currently attending the Barret Graduate School of Banking. She is also a graduate of the Leadership Fort Smith, Class of 2019. She currently serves on the Executive Board, as Treasurer, of Girls Inc. of Fort Smith.

Megan is passionate about the work of JLFS because of its long-standing history in the Fort Smith community. She is honored to be a part of an organization that empowers women and provides a wonderful platform for women who believe there is no greater reward than serving others.

Megan Nichols has been a member of the Junior League of Fort Smith since 2016 and has held the following placements:

Special Events Coordinator, Day at the Derby (2017 – 2018)
Fund Development Chair (2018 – 2019)
President-Elect (2019 - 2020)

Christina Scherrey

President Elect

Christina is a native of Fort Smith, Arkansas. She is a graduate of Southside High School and later the University of Arkansas - Fayetteville with degrees in International Economics and Spanish Literature. She also attended the University of Arkansas School of Law where she was an Associate Editor of the Arkansas Law Review and she received a Juris Doctorate degree in 2006.

She has worked for the Sebastian County Public Defender’s Office as a Deputy Public Defender for approximately 14 years now. She will also be participating in Leadership Fort Smith as part of the Class of 2020-2021.

She has been involved with JLFS since 2015 and has had held the following placements:

Fostering Fashion, Booths Co-Chair (2016 - 2017)
Fostering Fashion Booths Chair (2017 - 2018)
Community Impact Vice President (2018 - 2019)
Fund Development Vice President (2019 - 2020)

Alexis Brown

Communications Vice President

Alexis is a graduate of Southside High School. Alexis joined the Harry Robinson Automotive Family and has worked in multiple roles throughout the dealership since starting in 2012. After developing a love for customer service, she accepted the position as the Customer Experience Manager in 2017. Alexis has a 7-year-old daughter named Suri Rose and her wife has served in the Air National Guard for over 13 years. Alexis is active in the PTA at her daughter's school and their family enjoys exploring Fort Smith's rich downtown culture. She connected with the focus of JLFS right away and is grateful for the empowerment and leadership training the Junior League of Fort Smith offers to women of all backgrounds!

Alexis Brown has been a member of JLFS since 2018 and has held the following placements:

Merchant Coordinator, Spring Market (2019 – 2020)

Tristin Bolton

Community Impact Vice President

Tristin Bolton is a native of Crawford County. She is a graduate of Alma High School and completed her Bachelor's Degree at Northeastern University in Tahlequah Oklahoma, and her Master's Degree in Human Environmental Sciences from the University of Arkansas.

Tristin currently works as the Family Consumer Sciences Agent for Crawford County Cooperative Extension Service. And you can find her reading, volunteering, or at the races in her free time.

She was recently selected for the Class of 2020 for Talk Business and Politics' Fast 15.

Tristin has been a member of JLFS since 2016 and has held the following placements:

Provisional Coordinator (2017 - 2018)
Scholarship Chair (2018 - 2019)
Project READY Chair (2019 - 2020)

Angela Jones

Financial Vice President

Angela has been a Fort Smith resident since 2006, when she moved to attend college at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith. She has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from UA Fort Smith and is employed by ArcBest Corporation as a Planning Supervisor. She is married to her husband Reece with whom she has a daughter.

Angela has been a volunteer with the Junior League of Fort Smith since 2013 and held the following placements:

Co-Chair, Independent City (2014 - 2015)
Chair, Independent City (2015 - 2016)
Member Education and Training, Membership Council (2016 - 2017)
Fund Development VP, Board of Directors (2017 - 2019)
Provisional Trainer (2019 - 2020)

Morgan Stewart

Fund Development Vice President

Morgan is a Planning Analyst for ArcBest and has been with the company since 2019. She has been a resident of Van Buren her whole life and a graduate of the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith with a degree in Organizational Leadership. She is a member of the Northwest Arkansas Fast 15 class of 2020 and currently serves on the board for the Girls Shelter of Fort Smith. She is dedicated to the development of women and is passionate about League because she has seen growth not only in herself but in the community.

Morgan has been a member of JLFS since 2018 and held the following placements:

Fund Development Chair (2019 - 2020)

Laura Pearn

Membership Vice President

Laura has been a Fort Smith resident since 2011, when she moved from Albuquerque, NM and attended law school. Laura was born in New Jersey and attended high school and college in Florida. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Biology from the University of South Florida, a Master’s Degree in Forensic DNA from the University of Florida, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas. She is currently employed as an Associate at the law office of Ledbetter, Cogbill, Arnold and Harrison. She was a participant of Leadership Fort Smith as part of the Class of 2020.

Laura is currently engaged and has a high school aged daughter. She is a member of Community Bible Church and volunteers in the child-care area.

She was recently selected for the Class of 2020 for Talk Business and Politics' Top 10 Women in Business.

Laura has been a member of JLFS since 2015 and has held the following placements:

Skills for Life (2016 - 2017)
Co-Chair, Done in a Day (2017 - 2018)
Chair, Done in a Day (2018 - 2019)
Community Impact Vice President (2019 - 2020)

Shelly Gilker

Sustainer to the Board

Shelly is the administrative assistant at Arkansas Warehouse, in Fort Smith, where she works
with her husband Brian. They have worked in the same office together for the past 23 years.
She graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Fashion Merchandising/
Business in Fayetteville. The first half of her career, was in Retail Management. Shelly and Brian
have 1 daughter, Kathryn, who is a member of the NWA Junior League.

Shelly joined the League in 1989. Her volunteer years with the Junior League lasted until sustaining in
2002. In those 13 years, Shelly has been involved with many placements. She welcomes all
women in our area to become a part of a great organization. She also welcomes all Sustainers
to be a part of the league from the sidelines.

Shelly has been a member of JLFS since 1989 and has held the following placements: