2025 First Friday Breakfast Series: April 4th

Start Your Month with Connections, Conversations, and Coffee!

Join us on April 4th at 7:30AM at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith in the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center! This month our featured guest speaker is Sharon Strong, Executive Director, of the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery. Whether your looking to expand your network, gain valuable insights, listen to an informative program, or simply enjoy a delicious breakfast among peers, this event is for you. 

Seats are limited, so don't miss this opportunity to connect with fellow business professionals and community leaders. We look forward to seeing you there! 

About Sharon Strong: 
Sharon Strong was appointed Executive Director of the Office of the Arkansas Lottery in July 2024 by Governor Sarah Sanders and DFA Cabinet Secretary Jim Hudson. Sharon is a Little Rock native and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Policy from Southern Methodist University in 2000 and her law degree from The American University, Washington College of Law in 2003. Following law school, she lived and worked in the Washington, D.C. area for a decade, serving as a judicial law clerk, a juvenile Public Defender and as an Assistant State?s Attorney for the State of Maryland. Upon returning to Arkansas, she served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for Pulaski and Perry Counties. Immediately prior to joining the Lottery, Strong served as Senior Assistant Attorney General at the Office of the Arkansas Attorney General where she served under both Attorneys General Leslie Rutledge and Tim Griffin. In that role, Strong prosecuted cases of abuse in long term care facilities and criminal Medicaid fraud. She also played a key role in drafting legislation to protect vulnerable Arkansans. As Director of the Lottery, she loves being able to combine her love of retail, organizational management and critical thinking skills to further the success of the Agency and the success of students throughout the State of Arkansas!