Meet the Seis Puentes team.

Our staff and board consist of people from all walks of life, from medical professionals to city activists. These are the people who make it all possible.

Eric Brown

Eric Brown

Executive Director

eric@seispuentes.org

Eric Brown serves as the Executive Director of Seis Puentes, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering the Latino community of Central Arkansas through education, advocacy, and cultural engagement. A proud Mixed Mexican American, Eric draws strength from his roots in California’s Northern Central Valley and the Sonoran Desert of Tucson, where community, resilience, and culture have always been central. He brings experience in nonprofit strategy, grant development, and community partnerships, having worked with organizations such as Impact Tulsa and La Cana in Mexico City. Eric takes great pride in building bridges of opportunity for immigrant and Latino families and is committed to ensuring that Seis Puentes continues to provide inclusive, dignified, and transformative resources for the community.

Audrey Moore

Audrey Moore

Adult Education Teacher, North Little Rock School District

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A resident of Sherwood, Audrey Moore is originally from the small town of Malvern, Arkansas. A wife and mother, Audrey enjoys spending time outside with her family – hiking, swimming, and exploring the beautiful Arkansas state parks.

Early on in her teaching career, Audrey had ELL students in her class. She saw firsthand how they struggled to learn the content and the English language simultaneously. That experience inspired her to earn an ESL certification and her M.S.E. in advanced instructional studies with an ESL emphasis from Henderson State University.

  • Graduate of the University of Central Arkansas
  • 16 years teaching at the North Little Rock School District – elementary, secondary, and adult students
  • moorea@nlrsd.org
Leticia Reta

Leticia Reta

Community Liason

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Leticia Reta emigrated from a small town called San Juan Ixcaquixtla, Puebla, Mexico 31 years ago with a dream to “be somebody” – and she has accomplished just that.

With 25 years of running a housekeeping business, Leticia also works as freelance interpreter in hospitals, community meetings, and parent teacher conferences at schools in Central Arkansas. She loves to volunteer her time to different organizations that help people in need- like food pantries, health fairs, and community advocacy- but her greatest pride is her heritage and her three children, who share her great spirit of compassion and kindness.

In 2008, Leticia founded Ballet Folklorico Quetzalli – a dance troupe that connects Mexican-American youth to their ancestral roots and heritage through traditional folkloric dance, dress, and culture.

Leticia loves working with Seis Puentes because “Seis Puentes offers comfort and hope to the people that walk through the doors. Seis Puentes helps people assimilate to a new life and the programs help people succeed.”

Meet our board.

A smiling man with short brown hair, a beard, and round glasses is shown in close-up. He is wearing a black shirt, and there are blurred indoor decorations in the background.

Raul Fernández

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North Little Rock native and graduated from UA Little Rock with a bachelors in mass communications with emphasis in journalism and public relations

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Served as Seis Puentes executive director for nearly 5 years

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Serves as president of Senior Citizens Outreach Services Inc and as member of Pulaski County Youth Services, North Little Rock CARES Youth Coalition, and Arkansas Baptist College advisory board.

Allison Allred

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Native Arkansan

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Private Practice Attorney since 1997

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Currently serving on the Arkansas Supreme Court Child Support Committee

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Passionate about equity in the local community, cooking, and spending time with friends

Carmen Fernandez

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Born in Puerto Rico

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Retired Registered Pharmacist

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Serves on the board for the Patrick Hays Senior Citizens Center in NLR

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Enjoys time outside with her family, from gardening and cooking to traveling

Chase Gwatney

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Native of Jacksonville, Arkansas and a graduate of Mount Saint Mary Academy

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Graduate of UAMS College of Nursing and is former Registered Nurse

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Currently a shareholder at Gwatney Chevrolet

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Her most important job title is being “mom” to three children and she looks forward to working with the Latino community in Central Arkansas where she can apply her knowledge of healthcare. A mantra that Chase lives by is “little by little, the bird builds its nest”.

Karen Garcia

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Native of Friendship, Arkansas

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During her financial career, she worked with some of the biggest names in the state, from Weyerhaeuser to Stephens Inc.

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Awarded numerous accolades including 2009 Arkansas Democratic Woman of the Year and the Governor's Volunteer Award

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Member of the NAACP and the League of Latin American Citizens

Shara Brazear

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Director of Communications for the City of North Little Rock

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Served 20 years as the Communications Specialist in the NLR School District

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Passionate about workforce development in NLR

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Enjoys riding a Harley and doting on her daughters and granddaughter

William Hogg

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Native Arkansan

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20+ year career in corporate finance

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Has served as Vice Chair and Treasurer of Seis Puentes for 12 years. In 2015, Will founded the Latino Art Project

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Will also serves on the Board of Directors for the Arkansas Arts Council (Governor appointed), ACANSA Arts Festival of the South, and Ballet Arkansas

Vincent Insalaco

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Native Arkansan

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Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director Argenta Community Theater

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Co Founder and Chair of Butterfly Community Ministries/Seis Puentes

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Chairman Democratic Party of Arkansas (2012-2017)

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Founder and CEO Family Entertainment Superstores, Inc (1984-2002)

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Asst. Secretary of State of Arkansas (1980-1985)

Dr. Terry Richard

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Dr. Terry “El Guapo” Richard is Professor Emeritus in Sociology

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Served 35 years with the UALR in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, with nine of those years as chairperson of the University of Little Rock

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Arrived in Arkansas as a Comtian missionary sociologist to preach to the educationally challenged students within the state of Arkansas

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Published a variety of articles on topics such as thanatology, race and ethnic relations, teaching sociology, and third world development trends.

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Received a Ph.D. in Sociology (minor in anthropology) from North Texas University, and an M.A. in Latin American Studies from the UT- Austin

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Actively involved with the League of United Latin American Citizens and various race relations boards in the state of Arkansas

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Terry is a world traveler, having lived for extended periods in Mexico, France, and Guatemala, and he speaks several languages. His hobbies include tennis, golf, and occasional forays to the Tunica casinos to support the Mississippi economy.

Kenda Shields

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Native Arkansan

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Business Development and Marketing Officer at First Security Bank since 2017

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Worked for The North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce for 11 years, and worked in marketing at ALLTEL for 14 years

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Kenda has been married to her husband, Steve Shields, for 10 years, and has two dogs that are spoiled rotten. She also has two children; Madison (26), an RN at Children’s Hospital, and Hayden (23), who works in North Little Rock for Keeling Company

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They enjoy spending time with their families, traveling, and enjoying the natural state of Arkansas, but the beach is one of her favorite places to travel

Kayci Thessing
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Loves that Seis Puentes offers free educational programs for the Latino community

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Kayci works as the Grants Manager for the City of North Little Rock. This position allows her to assist many departments within our municipal government in applying for and administering grant funds to benefit the city of North Little Rock

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Has a diverse employment background that includes adult probation, law enforcement accreditation, and finance

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Love spending time with her family, hiking and kayaking when she gets the chance!

Claret Alcala Collins
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Born in Venezuela

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Communication Manager at the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub

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Love volunteer work and everything that Seis Puentes does for the Latino Community

Heather Kouns
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Originally from Wauchula, Florida

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Director of Tourism Development for North Little Rock Tourism

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Member of North Little Rock Junior League and Skal Arkansas

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I love being a part of an organization that is about giving and supporting pockets of our community that are often overlooked or stigmatized and I love that Seis Puentes is a safe space for the Latino community to come together - I want to be a part of that change!

Rosa Perez

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Born in Venezuela

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Has been in banking for 10+ years and now works as a community development lender

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I believe that by being involved, our community can profess financially, achieve homeownership, and establish generation well-being for everyone.

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Also serves as a board member on Arkids Reads and Pulaski County Casa.

Benjamin Eggelton

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