Charisse Childers

Charisse Childers stepped away from the chalkboard and her role in education to cultivate a different subject: the Arkansas economy.

Childers, executive director of Accelerate Arkansas, and a board of 60 volunteers advocate economic development in Arkansas by working with state agencies, educational institutions and local and state chambers of commerce.

“As an Arkansas native, I was intrigued by Accelerate Arkansas’ goal of raising the per capita income of Arkansans and what that would mean for our state and its citizens,” Childers said. “I was impressed by the commitment, enthusiasm and sincerity displayed by this volunteer group of leaders.”

Childers, like a true teacher, called one of her greatest accomplishments “the opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s life.”

Prior to her involvement with Accelerate Arkansas, Childers had worked as a business education teacher and in marketing and sales. Childers also has served as the chair of the education committee and a board member of the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce for seven years and as a board member of United Way for six years and of the Boys & Girls Club for four years.

1Childers said that her management philosophy includes leading by example, expecting the best, having a good attitude, being dedicated to the cause, having enthusiasm for life and work, and rewarding results. Her secret to success, she said, is being driven by a worthy goal. Childers’ plans for the immediate future as an executive are to increase communication within Accelerate Arkansas and plan for the future of the organization.

Her personal goal is to complete her doctorate in public policy and graduate in May 2008. Childers said one of the most challenging aspects of being an executive of a nonprofit is helping coordinate the members’ work to accomplish the tasks at hand.

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