About Us
Our Story
Ever since 2014, we have been advocating for Arkansas’s families and students. Every child has unique education needs, and their families are the people who are best suited to recognize and understand those needs. We seek to break down barriers and to open up the doors to the resources that are available to access educational options that may better suit their students.
Who We Are
Meet the team behind the Reform Alliance who are passionate about the wellbeing and futures of Arkansas’s children.
Spencer Watson
Communications Director
Spencer has worked with the Reform Alliance since November, 2022. Family testimonials are what makes Spencer’s job so special. When families tell him how much their children’s lives have been impacted by finding a new educational environment, and how their child is learning to love school again, it brings a smile to his face.
Spencer has always been an advocate for education. He believes that quality education is the foundation for everything. Whether or not a student decides to go to college, or joins the workforce following high school, their primary education is the foundation in which their lives are built on. Spencer believes that every child should have access to quality K-12 education, no matter what.
Emmy Henley
Managing Director
Emmy has been a part of the Reform Alliance since July of 2016! As one of the longest running members of the team, Emmy loves to hear from parents after the Reform Alliance has helped their children access an educational environment that works the best for them. Emmy really appreciates the personal connection that is shared between her and the families, as Emmy feels that it makes everything the Reform Alliance does, worth it.
Growing up, Emmy’s family experienced many different kinds of educational environments. Educational environments that ranged from traditional public schools to private schools, charter schools, and homeschooling. Emmy’s mom advocated for her children and family in the same way that the Reform Alliance does now. As a parent herself, Emmy feels that nothing is more important than setting your child up for a successful future.
Britain McDonald
Executive Assistant
Britain has been a part of the Reform Alliance since July, 2024. Her favorite part of her daily life with the team is knowing the impact that she and her coworkers are making in the lives of families as they find school options that are best for their children.
Britain was called to the Reform Alliance mission because of her role as a parent. As a parent to two children, she is their child’s biggest advocate. Britain believes that it is important to choose a learning environment that serves the child’s ability to learn the best, especially since children will spend most of their young lives in school.
Kashana Milton
Community Engagement Associate
Kashana has been a part of the Reform Alliance team for about 3 years. Kashana’s bread and butter is interacting with the surrounding communities.
As a parent to school aged children, Kashana believes that every child deserves to have access to the best education possible, regardless of their situation.
Cynthia Howsley
Community Engagement Associate
Cynthia has been a part of the Reform Alliance since June of 2022! Her favorite part of her job is being involved in the Arkansas communities. She loves seeing how community members can come together to support the Reform Alliance mission, especially when parents share their stories. Cynthia loves to hear how children who have been impacted by the Reform Alliance are excelling after her and the team have been able to provide their families with the resources they need.
As a parent, Cynthia thinks of her daughter, who is on her own education journey. Cynthia feels that as a parent, she wants her child to be an environment that really brings out their strengths. She believes that children should all have the opportunity to enjoy learning in an environment that they can thrive in, regardless of what the environment looks like.
Our Mission
Our mission is to ensure that every child in Arkansas has access to a world-class education. To us, that means realistic access to an educational environment that best serves their specific learning needs, regardless of income or location. We seek to create a network of parent and community leaders so that every policy decision and every conversation about education starts and ends with how it impacts Arkansas’s children.
If your preferred schooling environment needs to be close to home, we can help you find one! Browse a list of schooling environments near you.
