Board of Trust

 

Little Rock Christian Academy’s Board of Trust consists of professionals throughout the community who represent a variety of churches as well as multiple school constituencies.

Gene Whisenhunt (Board of Trust Chairman) - Gene is the President/COO of Hickingbotham Investments, Inc.  He and his wife, Kathy, have three children who all attended LRCA.  Gene has served the LRCA Board in a number of roles including four years as Chairman.  Gene is the past Chairman of the Baptist Health Foundation Board and the Ouachita Baptist University Board.  He attends Fellowship Bible Church.

John Carter - John is the Chief Credit Officer for Bank OZK. He brings finance, personnel management, organizational leadership, and publicly traded board-level risk management experience to the Board. He and his wife, Erin, have two children who are current LRCA students.  John and his family attend Fellowship Bible Church in West Little Rock.

Maggie Chism - Maggie has a long history with LRCA, having attended Walnut Valley Christian Academy throughout elementary school and then later teaching in the High School. She and her husband, Blake, have three children in LRCA’s Elementary. They attend Christ Community Church. 

Natalie Hankins - Natalie is invested in the well-being of Little Rock Christian as a board member since 2017 and as a mom to one current student and two LRCA alumni.  She makes the most of volunteer opportunities, athletic events, and special programs to deepen her connections.  Natalie strengthens the Board with her experience in management of non-profit organizations.  She is married to Jared. 

Peter Kim - Peter is a general surgeon with Arkansas Health Group, a division of Baptist Health Medical Center.  He brings the expertise of healthcare related issues concerning both staff and students to the Board.  He previously was Chief of Surgery, and now serves on the Credentialing Board for Baptist Health.  He and his wife, Elizabeth, have two children at Little Rock Christian Academy.  Peter and his family attend the West Little Rock campus of Fellowship Bible Church.

Mike Marquez - Mike is an Institutional Consultant with Merrill Lynch in Little Rock. He brings experience in guiding nonprofits, especially in the areas of governance and endowment management, to his Board of Trust role. He and his wife, Sarah, are parents to four children, three of whom are current LRCA students. They are members of Fellowship Bible Church. 

John Rainwater - John Rainwater is an attorney in private practice at Rainwater, Holt and Sexton, P.A., in Little Rock, Arkansas.  In 1988, John started kindergarten at Walnut Valley Christian Academy, and was a member of the school’s fourth graduating class in 2001.  John and his wife Sarah have three children (Shepherd, Rebecca and John Robert) who now attend Little Rock Christian Academy.  

Matt Reddin - Matt is a Principal at DD&F Consulting.  He has 20 plus years in the financial services industry with most of his tenure in executive leadership.  He brings finance, organizational leadership, strategic and capital planning, and risk management experience to the Board.  He and his wife, Kelly, have two children, one a graduate of LRCA, and the other in High School.  Matt and his family attend Fellowship Bible Church in West Little Rock.

Ross Rucker - Ross serves as a Managing Director in Stephens, Inc.’s Investment Banking Department, where he advises corporate clients on mergers, acquisitions, and financing transactions.  He and his wife, Abbie, have three children enrolled in LRCA.  Ross and his family attend Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock.

Tommy Vaughan - Tommy is a tax attorney with Lax, Vaughan, Fortson, Rowe, and Threet.  He and his wife, Martha, are parents of four LRCA alumni.  Tommy has served as a Warrior Club Board member and is a past Chairman of the Arkansas Baptist Foundation.  The Vaughans are members of Immanuel Baptist Church where Tommy teaches Sunday School.

Cara Wade - Cara serves as Executive Director of Communications for Baptist Health, Arkansas’ largest and most comprehensive health care system. She and her husband, Guy, are parents of three kindergarten club graduates of LRCA.  Cara has served numerous terms on the LRCA Board of Trustees, including serving as Chairman of the Board.  Cara is also a current Old State House Museum Board member and past president. The Wades are members of Immanuel Baptist Church where they lead a Sunday School class. 

Sarah Wood - Sarah brings writing and communication skills to the Board. She is a Content Developer for Dwellings, a non-profit organization. She is also a former faculty member of LRCA’s Learner Services department.  She and her husband, Fred, are parents of three LRCA alumni and one current high school senior. They attend a house church in Little Rock.