The University of the Ozarks Alumni Association has elected six alumni to join its board of directors during the organization’s annual recent spring meeting on campus.
The new directors will begin their terms on July 1, 2025.
Those selected for three-year terms (Class of 2028) included (picturd, top row from left) Claudia Cruz ’95 of Las Magnolias, El Salvador; Nicholas Dunsworth ’22 of Hampton, Va.; Jill Arbuthnot ’89 of Hiwasse, Ark.; (pictured, bottow row from left) Sandra Paige Davis ’16 of Chicago; and Jake Holland ’20 of Sugar Land, Texas. Odalis Garcia ’23 of Springdale, Ark., was elected to complete a one-year term and will be eligible to serve a three-year term beginning in 2026.
Also at the meeting, the association elected officers for 2025-26. Those included George Pittenger ’91 as president, Celeste (Willis) Coppage ’97 as vice president, Cori Dyson ’97 as secretary, and Cory Maag ’21 as treasurer.
Cruz has extensive professional experience in sustainability, social and economic development, non-profit management, corporate communications, and marketing. Currently, she creates sustainable impact strategies, designs, and executes sustainability programs for companies and non-profits through Ubuntu Consulting, a multidisciplinary professional practice. During her college years, she was part of the Ozarks Chorale.Through Glasswing, she created the Glee Club Program, a leadership project to strengthen Central American public school students’ self-esteem and teach them values through music. She holds a degree in Radio/TV/Film from Ozarks and a master’s degree in corporate social responsibility from the University of Barcelona (Spain). Cruz is a fellow of the fifth class of the Central America Leadership Initiative and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. She has volunteered since 2004 on the Walton International Scholarship recruiting committee.
Dunsworth graduated Summa Cum Laude from Ozarks in 2022 with a BS in mathematics and a BA in English. While at Ozarks, he was a member of the swim team, an officer in the Ozarks Mathematical Society, and studied abroad in Scotland. After Ozarks, Dunsworth moved to the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where he completed his master’s degree in mathematics with a concentration in data science. Now based in Hampton, Virginia, he works for Booz Allen Hamilton as a staff scientist – data scientist. Outside of work, Dunsworth takes the opportunity each summer to teach leadership as a Program Coordinator for the Foundation for Teaching Economics. He enjoys being active, and currently enjoys bouldering, running, and playing pickleball with colleagues. He’s an avid reader and is currently exploring fermentation and indoor gardening.
Arbuthnot is one of several in her family that attended and graduated from Ozarks. Both her mother and her aunt attended U of O when it was College of the Ozarks. Arbuthnot graduated in 1989 with a degree in business administration. She worked in real estate and the legal department at the Walmart Home Office for 19 years. She currently works with her family pet-sitting business, where she has worked for the last 30 years. She volunteers weekly at her church food pantry and is actively involved in her Rotary Club as a grant writer and public image. She also participates in annual Wheelchair Mission Trips.
Davis is a member of the University’s Class of 2017, graduating a semester early with a BA in theatre and business administration. While at Ozarks, she was deeply engaged in student life—serving as an orientation leader, commencement speaker, and participating in the Campus Activities Board and theatre productions. Now based in Chicago, Davis is a licensed realtor who brings a creative, solutions-oriented approach to helping clients find home. Her background in operations and the performing arts honed her skills in communication, empathy, and adaptability—all of which serve her well in real estate. Outside of work, Davis enjoys writing poetry, ballroom dancing, and spending time with her 14-year-old dog, Pokey, who’s been her sidekick through it all.
Holland graduated from Ozarks in 2020 with a degree in communications and minors in theater and environmental Studies. During his time at Ozarks, he was also a four-year member of the baseball team. Shortly after graduating during the COVID-19 pandemic, Holland moved to Fayetteville, Ark., where he worked in logistics before returning to Ozarks as the associate director of alumni engagement. In that role, he spent two and a half years strengthening alumni relations through events, philanthropy, and digital outreach, while also working closely with the Alumni Board. In June 2024, Holland moved back to his hometown of Sugar Land, Texas, where he got engaged to his fiancée, Kristina, later that September. He now serves as the communications and community engagement specialist for the City of Sugar Land, managing the city’s volunteer program and working to foster civic engagement and community connection.
Garcia is a 2023 Summa Cum Laude graduate of Ozarks. During her time at the University, she studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain, and completed two impactful marketing internships that helped shape her professional journey. Now based in Northwest Arkansas, Garcia works as a brand and content strategist at TAG Marketing Agency, is a licensed Realtor with Coldwell Banker Harris McHaney & Faucette, and runs her own photography business. With four years of hands-on marketing experience, she thrives on blending creativity and strategy to help brands and individuals stand out. Beyond her professional roles, Garcia is deeply passionate about volunteering and empowering others—especially youth and underserved communities. Her work is driven by a desire to make a meaningful impact, both in business and in the lives of those around her.
Created in 1967, the Alumni Board of Directors meets three times a year and is comprised of up to 30 U of O alumni who are volunteers. They dedicate their time in support of current students and faculty as well as in engagement of fellow alumni and recruitment efforts.
Topics: Alumni