Arkansan of the Year

Thursday, May 14th @ Little Rock Marriott

6:00 Reception: Grand Ballroom Foyer | 7:00 Dinner: Grand Ballroom

Cocktail Attire

Easterseals Arkansas is proud to honor Lisenne Rockefeller as the 2026 Arkansan of the Year, recognizing her outstanding leadership and dedication to improving the lives of Arkansans. This prestigious award is presented annually to individuals who demonstrate an unwavering commitment to enhancing the state through their time, talent, and resources. 

Mrs. Rockefeller has served on the Easterseals Arkansas Board of Directors for 30 years. She is also the founder of the Academy, the organization's private K-12 school. In 2001, she and her late husband, former Lt. Governor Winthrop Rockefeller, founded the Academy at Riverdale for children with special needs because two of their children had Down Syndrome. Two years later, they moved into the school built in the Riverdale area of Little Rock. In 2017, Easterseals Arkansas took over operation of the K-12 school for children with special needs and leased the space that housed the school and provided a place for special education and therapy services (speech, physical, occupational). The school now occupies a recently renovated and constructed space with a capacity to serve more than 200 students. It opened in August of 2025 and is part of the main Easterseals Arkansas campus with the Little Rock Developmental Preschool, Children's Rehabilitation Center, and Butler Adult Living Center. 

"For three decades, Lisenne Rockefeller has been a guiding force for Easterseals Arkansas," said Mac Bell, Vice President of Development and Communication. "Her vision, leadership, and unwavering commitment, especially in founding the Academy have transformed countless lives. We are honored to celebrate her as our 2026 Arkansan of the Year."