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Central to NWA: A UCA Podcast
Central to NWA: A UCA Podcast is the University of Central Arkansas’ official platform for deepening its presence and building relationships in Northwest Arkansas. Hosted by Paul Gatling, UCA’s Senior Director of Northwest Arkansas Engagement, the show connects alumni, business leaders, and community partners through interviews and relevant conversations.
Some guests will be UCA graduates making an impact in the region. Others will include industry voices, institutional partners, campus leaders in Conway, and community leaders in Northwest Arkansas, all of whom are shaping this region from different perspectives. Each episode explores how leadership, workforce and education intersect in one of the country’s fastest-growing regions.
The goal is straightforward: listen, connect and make sure UCA has a stronger, more visible presence in Northwest Arkansas.
If you want to stay plugged into the people and ideas defining Northwest Arkansas, this is the channel.
Episodes
15 episodes
Ep. 15 - Region-First Growth: Robert Burns on Shaping Northwest Arkansas
Growth is a massive regional win, but unmanaged expansion quickly turns into a infrastructure and talent leak. As populations spike, civic leaders face the ultimate balancing act: keeping a booming economy running efficiently while protecting t...
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Ep. 14 - Career Trajectory Shifts: From Small Business to NASA COO with Amir Deylami
Operating a massive tech hub in the middle of the world's most aggressive innovation environment leaves zero margin for error. When you are responsible for keeping a 2,000 acre campus running smoothly to support human spaceflight, theory takes ...
Ep. 13 - Delusional Ambition: Scaling a Financial Empire with Kristin Daniel
Financial volatility is often just a symptom of excessive noise, and for many high-stakes founders, "doing it all" is the fastest way to lose everything. In an era where everyone with an Instagram account claims to be a market expert, the real ...
Ep. 12 - Life in Education: Dr. Bobby New’s Legacy
A Fayetteville superintendent who also spent 26 years flying helicopters and airplanes as an Army and National Guard aviator has a different way of talking about leadership: calm, practical, and shaped by responsibility that never really shuts ...
Ep. 11 - Banking on Relationships: Ron Branscum's Playbook
Your banker can’t approve what they can’t understand and most business owners don’t realize how often the deal breaks down long before the loan committee meets. We’re joined by Ron Branscum, a University of Central Arkansas alum who has lived t...
Ep. 10 - Leading With Impact: Philanthropy and the Amazeum with Jennifer Belt
A career can look like a zigzag until you hear the why. Jennifer Martinez Belt went from an Arkansas newsroom dream to Capitol Hill and the White House, then back home to build stronger communities through nonprofit fundraising and philanthropy...
Ep. 9 - From UCA to ULI: Leading Change With Wes Craiglow
What if the places we love aren’t accidents, but the result of clear choices about streets, water, parks, and where capital flows? We sit down with Wes Craiglow, executive director of ULI Northwest Arkansas and UCA alum, to unpack how our built...
Ep. 8 - From UCA to CEO: Alexa Williams’ Journey
A double alum with a double take on impact. We’re joined by Alexa Williams, president of Celebrate Arkansas, to explore how a regional magazine became a precision PR platform that connects businesses, nonprofits, and culture across Northwest Ar...
Ep. 7 - Training Doctors Differently: The Alice Walton Way | With Sharmila Makhija
What does it take to build a medical school that puts humanity back at the center of care? We sit down with Dr. Sharmila Makhija, founding dean and CEO of the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, to explore how a bold vision in Bentonville is re...
Ep. 6 - Uniforms, HR, and Grazing Boards: Lionel Riley’s Unlikely Path
What happens when “lead the way” becomes a life strategy? We sit down with Colonel Lionel Riley, Arkansas Air National Guard mission support group commander, CHRO at Riceland Foods, and Bentonville small business owner, to explore how disciplin...
Ep. 5 - Back to Give Back: From UCA to Arkansas Children’s
A single thank-you call can change a career. That’s where Corey Hufty first felt the spark that would guide her from UCA grad to executive director of philanthropy for Arkansas Children’s in Northwest Arkansas, translating generosity into real ...
Ep. 4 - Inside Pea Ridge’s Growth Plan
Growth doesn’t wait for perfect plans, and neither should we. In this conversation with Pea Ridge Mayor Nathan See, we dig into the nuts and bolts of turning a fast-growing town into a resilient, welcoming city, without losing the neighborly sp...
Ep. 3 - From Delta Roots To Global Logistics
A shy kid from the Arkansas Delta walks onto the UCA campus and, years later, is steering freight to Hawaii and Alaska during port strikes, building partnerships that keep shelves stocked, and advising small businesses through global turbulence...
Ep. 2 - A Conversation with the President: Growth, Affordability, And Community Impact
What happens when a public university decides to act like a nimble problem-solver for its region? We sat down with UCA President Houston Davis to unpack how a 10,000-student campus can feel personal, deliver strong outcomes, and show up where A...
Ep. 1 – Bentonville’s Heartbeat: From News to Community
What turns a busy downtown into a true community? We sit down with Aaron Nolan, UCA alum, veteran broadcaster, and now communications director at Downtown Bentonville Inc., to unpack the playbook behind block parties, farmers markets, and a hol...