Two University of Central Arkansas employees were elected Aug. 22 to the Arkansas Coalition for Excellence Board of Directors during the ACE Annual Meeting held at the Clinton Presidential Center.

Amy H. Amy, assistant professor in the communication department, and Kelly Lyon, director of the Center for Community and Economic Development, were among 11 professionals from across the state elected by the ACE membership.

The ACE is Arkansas’ nonprofit association and representative in the National Council of Nonprofits. Since 2003, ACE has worked to build a stronger, more vibrant nonprofit sector in Arkansas. ACE accomplishes this effort through its advocacy work on public policy issues affecting all nonprofit organizations at the state and national level; access to affordable products and services; education and technical assistance; research and information sharing, and network building.

“After working with the inaugural class of UCA’s Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Leadership Studies, I realized how much cross-sector cooperation it will take to strengthen Arkansas,” Amy said. “I work primarily with the nonprofit cognate so partnering with ACE is a natural fit that couldn’t have come at a better time.”

ACE operates statewide in five regions — northeast, northwest, central, southeast and southwest. Its membership consists of 300 non-profits, foundations, businesses and individuals.

“This appointment will enable us to provide more knowledgeable support for our work with nonprofits in our Community Development Institute and also in our grant funded work with the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation.” Lyon said.