Sanders Names Appointees to Arkansas Boards
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced a batch of appointments to state boards, commissions and committees, including a new chair for the 2030 Complete Count Committee.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in People
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced appointments on Friday to multiple Arkansas state boards and committees. Five members were named to the 2030 Arkansas Complete Count Committee, and Andrea Allen was designated chairwoman.
Why it matters
The appointments fill seats across licensing, health, environmental and local government bodies that set rules and oversee professional standards statewide. Several filled vacancies or replaced existing members, shaping who makes decisions for Arkansas residents.
The governor named six appointees to the Board of Dispensing Opticians and four each to the Social Work Licensing Board and State Board of Dental Examiners. The announcement does not specify start dates for most appointees or whether Senate confirmation is required.
The players
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Sanders is the Governor of Arkansas, who made the appointments to state boards and committees.
Andrea Allen
Allen was designated chairwoman of the 2030 Arkansas Complete Count Committee, which oversees census outreach efforts in the state.
The details
The appointments were announced in a list organized by board or committee name, with several designated as reappointments, replacements or new positions. David Stults was appointed to the Arkansas 911 Board to fill a previously vacant seat, and Melonaie Gullick was named Justice of the Peace for Faulkner County, District 10.
Timeline
November 6, 2026: Governor announces the appointments on Friday.
December 31, 2026: Alyssa Frisby's term on the Governor's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition expires.
December 31, 2026: Melonaie Gullick's Faulkner County Quorum Court term expires.
June 30, 2027: Matt Jones's term on the Arkansas Board of Dispensing Opticians expires.
September 30, 2030: Terms for the 2030 Arkansas Complete Count Committee expire.
Business Landscape
The Arkansas 2030 Complete Count Committee is being staffed ahead of the 2030 Decennial Census, the federal count that determines congressional apportionment and federal funding distribution. Its five new members and chair are now positioned to lead the state's outreach effort for that count.
Residents who hold licenses as opticians, social workers, or dentists in Arkansas fall under boards that just filled multiple seats, which can affect licensing rules and enforcement. The 2030 census committee appointments will influence how thoroughly the state encourages households to be counted.
The takeaway
Board appointments quietly determine how licensing, health and environmental rules are enforced across Arkansas. Checking the roster of a board that governs your profession can show who is making those decisions.
What happens next
Terms on the 2030 Arkansas Complete Count Committee run through September 30, 2030, and Alyssa Frisby's and Melonaie Gullick's terms expire December 31, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more Arkansas People coverage to see who is shaping decisions across the state.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ArkansasOnline.
