University of Arkansas in Fayetteville (Courtesy photo)
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed her deputy chief of staff to the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees Wednesday, her second appointment to the board in less than a week.
Judd Deere, who will retain his current position in the governor’s office while serving on the board, is replacing Sheffield Nelson. His term will expire March 1, 2035.
Deere, a Benton native and Lyon College graduate, has more than a decade of government management and communications experience, including a stint as a White House aide to President Donald Trump during his first term, according to a press release.
“I am deeply honored by and grateful to Governor Sanders for her confidence in me to serve on the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees,” Deere said. “I was raised to love our state and want nothing more than to see the University of Arkansas System succeed in preparing the next generation for the workforce—be it a four-year degree or certificate at a community college— because when it does, so does our state.”
Sanders also announced last Friday that she was appointing Randy Lawson to the UA Board of Trustees. Lawson is filling the seat formerly held by Tommy Boyer, who died last month. His term will expire on March 1, 2027.
Lawson is a UA graduate and businessman engaged in energy development, real estate development and venture capital investment businesses, according to a press release. Lawson serves as a commissioner on the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission following his appointment by Sanders in 2023.
“I have been a Razorback my entire life and look forward to continuing to support my university,” Lawson said. “I am also looking forward to working with the current Board of Trustees and the entire leadership team at the U of A system to further the mission and strive for excellence in everything.”
The trustees of the University of Arkansas System are appointed by the governor to 10-year overlapping terms, and the board sets policies for the system’s universities, colleges and institutes.
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