Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation
Board Members
Foundation Leadership
The Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation is governed by a board that brings together diverse perspectives from across Arkansas. Members include attorneys and judges who understand the legal system, as well as nonprofit leaders and community advocates who see firsthand how legal problems affect the people they serve.
Our board members oversee IOLTA program administration, guide strategic grant-making decisions, and work to expand funding sources for civil legal aid across the state. They serve as volunteers, drawing on their professional experience and community connections to ensure that low-income Arkansans have meaningful access to the courts.
Hon. Amy Dunn Moore
President
Circuit Judge for the 15th Division, 6th Judicial Circuit
Amy Dunn Moore is a family court judge serving the 6th Judicial District of Arkansas. She was
elected to serve in this role in 2020 and assumed the bench January 1, 2021. Her docket includes
cases involving divorce, custody, visitation, child support, domestic violence, guardianships, trusts
and estates, and involuntary commitments.
Amy previously served for more than eleven years as Executive Director of the Arkansas Access to
Justice Commission, where she coordinated statewide efforts to ensure civil justice for all
Arkansans. She also served as the Executive Director of the Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation
and Arkansas IOLTA Program, which engage in resource development and grantmaking initiatives to
support the objective of increasing access to justice. Prior to her time with Arkansas Access to
Justice, Amy spent six years in private practice in the health care regulatory field.
In addition to her work in the legal sector, Amy is an advocate for initiatives that promote health and
equity. She is a founding board member of Harmony Health Clinic, a free health clinic that serves
low-income uninsured residents of Pulaski County. In 2012, she was one of ten national recipients of
the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Health Leaders Award. Amy also serves as a
board member with the Arkansas Bar Foundation and a member of the ABA Commission on IOLTA.
Aaron Brooks
Vice President
The General Counsel at Corporate Governance, Bank OZK
Harvard Law School, 2008
University of Central Arkansas, summa cum laude, 2005
Mr. Brooks is the General Counsel-Corporate Governance for Bank OZK, where he handles securities disclosure, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions and governance matters. Earlier in his career, Mr. Brooks worked in private practice with the law firms of Wright, Lindsey & Jennings LLP in Little Rock and Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago, clerked for Judge Morris S. Arnold of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and Judge Dennis W. Shedd of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law. His charitable work has included serving on the Emerging Leaders Council of the Legal Services Corporation and the boards of the Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation, the Arkansas Shakespeare Theater and the University of Central Arkansas Alumni Association, as well as volunteering as a big brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas and coach with the Miracle League of Arkansas.
Deepali Lal
Secretary
Vice President of EB-5 Compliance/Chief Compliance Officer at ACC Capital
J.D. University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law
B.B.A. University of Arkansas at Little Rock, International Business & Human Resource Management, magna cum laude
Deepali Lal practices primarily in the areas of Immigration and Employment Law/Management. She is a 2021 graduate of UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. During her law school career, Deepali was an Associate Editor of the Law Review, Editor-in-Chief of the Arkansas Journal of Social Change and Public Service, and participated in Delta Theta Phi Legal Fraternity, the Hispanic Law Students Association, the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers, the Arkansas Bar Association, the Arkansas Bar Commission on Diversity and Inclusion, and the Dean’s Student Advisory Committee. She comes to CGWG after serving as a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Joe Volpe, United States Magistrate Judge for Eastern District of Arkansas, and clerking at multiple prominent law firms in Central Arkansas. She holds a B.B.A. in International Business & Human Resource Management from UA Little Rock, where she graduated magna cum laude. In 2021, she was honored with the Golden Gavel Award from the Arkansas Bar Commission on Diversity and Inclusion.
Hillis Schild
Treasurer
Vice President of Community Affairs, Regions Bank
B.A. Accounting, Ouachita Baptist University
Hillis Schild is the Executive Director of the Arvest Opportunity Fund, a subsidiary of Arvest Bank that provides lending and educational assistance to individuals, families and businesses that fall just below bank credit requirements. She began her banking career as a mortgage loan officer 30-plus years ago and later moved into community development. Schild firmly believes in the mission of the Arvest Opportunity Fund, which is investing in people through finance and education. She particularly enjoys the everyday responsibility of helping customers overcome financial hurdles.
Schild is passionate about helping her community and supports several organizations through service as a board member: Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation, Arkansas Asset Funders Network, Arkansas Collaborative for Technological and Innovative Venture Equality (ACTIVE) and the University District Development Corporation.
Gwendolyn Rucker
In-House Counsel at Sam’s Club
B.A., Political Science, Spelman College
J.D., University of Arkansas at Little Rock
William H. Bowen School of Law
M.P.A., University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Gwendolyn Rucker serves as in-house counsel at Sam’s Club. Before joining Sam’s Club, Ms. Rucker managed conflicts-of-interest and ethics initiatives at Walmart Inc. She previously served the judiciary as a career law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and earlier as a staff attorney with the Arkansas Supreme Court’s Office of Professional Conduct and as a law clerk at the Arkansas Court of Appeals. Ms. Rucker has held leadership roles in bar organizations, including service with the Arkansas Bar Foundation, Arkansas Bar Association, W. Harold Flowers Law Society, and the American Bar Association.
Rexanna Lilly
Chief Clerk, Berryville District Court
Berryville, AR Graduate 1984
IUPUI, CTIS 2010
Rexanna Lilly was born and raised in Arkansas. Ms. Lilly’s family moved to Berryville, Arkansas when she was four years old and she attended the Berryville Public Schools until she graduated in 1984. After high school she studied Business Administration at the University of Central Arkansas. Ms. Lilly started her career working as a Secretary in the Carroll County Prosecuting Attorney office in Berryville. Thereafter Ms. Lilly became a Certified Travel Industry Specialist through Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and worked in Branson, Missouri for many years. She ultimately became the Director of Sales and Marketing for a few of the Branson shows. Ms. Lilly started as a Deputy Clerk at the Berryville District Court in 2017. She was promoted to Chief Clerk in 2020. District Courts in Arkansas hear traffic, misdemeanor, and small claims cases. She is now attending the Arkansas Certified Court Manager Program. Since becoming Chief Clerk, Ms. Lilly has implemented several initiatives to improve and streamline the court process for individuals that come into contact with the court such as defendants, witnesses, victims, women’s shelters, bondsmen, law enforcement officers, and attorneys. One of these initiatives has been to use a standardized set of documents and forms that are given to defendants that explain their obligations and options, such as completing community service in lieu of having to pay fines. The Berryville District Court deals with many individuals who do not speak or read English. After learning about the capabilities of Arkansas Access to Justice in 2023, Ms. Lilly had the AAJ translate her court’s forms into Spanish, Marshallese, Karen and Chuukese. These forms are now used regularly in her court. Ms. Lilly believes that every defendant should be able to understand what is happening when they attend court.
Tabitha Lee
Executive Director of the Delta Justice Center
Graduate 2003, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts
B.S., 2009 University of Arkansas
J.D., 2013 University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law
M.P.S., 2014 University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service
Tabitha B. Lee was born and raised in Dermott, Arkansas. She currently leads the Delta Justice Center, a law firm dedicated to providing high quality legal assistance to historically underrepresented communities. She also provides funding consulting and proposal drafting services to non-profits and other social impact organizations serving the community. Ms. Lee has previously served as a judicial clerk in the sixth judicial district of Arkansas and as a Special Projects Attorney at the Center for Arkansas Legal Services working in the areas of criminal record sealing and veteran’s benefits.
Ms. Lee is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the W. Harold Flowers Law Society, and a Silver Life Member of the NAACP. In 2020, she was recognized by Arkansas Access to Justice for Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award as a Small/Solo Firm. She lives in Monticello with her partner, Quincey, and their two children, Cynthia and Quincey II.
Sharnae Diggs
Senior Assistant Attorney General
B.A., Political Science, Arkansas State University
African American studies, minor, Arkansas State University
M.P.A., Arkansas State University
J.D., University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School Law
Sharnae Diggs earned a juris doctor from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law where she was awarded the Dean’s Certificate of Distinguished Service. During her law school career at Bowen, Sharnae was an Associate Editor of the Law Review, participated in the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers, Christian Legal Society, Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity, and was named the
Black Law Student Association Mentor of the Year.
Sharnae has served as an attorney for nearly a decade in her home state of Arkansas. First as a judicial assistant and quasi-law clerk to the late Honorable David M. Glover at the Arkansas Court of Appeals then as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in the Sixth Judicial District of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. From there, she clerked as a term law clerk for the Honorable Lavenski R. Smith, then Chief Judge of the United States
Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. After her clerkship, Sharnae practiced in commercial litigation and employment law at Mitchell Williams law firm. She currently works in the civil litigation division in the Office of the Arkansas Attorney General.
Kyle Burton
Clerk at the Arkansas Supreme Court of Appeals
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
J.D., William H. Bowen School of Law
Mr. Kyle Burton is a native of Malvern, Arkansas and a graduate of Malvern High School. He earned his undergraduate degree in political science and his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He also graduated with high honors from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law in 2011. After law school, Kyle practiced law with an insurance defense law firm for three years before accepting a staff attorney position with the Arkansas Supreme Court in 2014. Kyle served as Interim Clerk of the Arkansas Supreme Court and Court of Appeals from September 16, 2022, until November 16, 2022, when he was formally appointed as clerk of those courts. He resides near Benton with his wife, Jamie Allyse, and their three children, Kylie, Grayson, and Jackson.
Vanessa Cash Adams
Attorney
With nearly 20 years of experience in consumer and business bankruptcy litigation, Vanessa Cash Adams plays a key role in helping Arkansas farms and small businesses navigate the complexities of debt reorganization and asset protection. A 2007 graduate of the William H. Bowen School of Law and a 2004 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Vanessa has spoken at various legal conferences within the State on the nuances and evolving issues in bankruptcy law. Vanessa served as President of the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers and the Debtor-Creditor Division of the Arkansas Bar Association. She was recognized by the Arkansas Bar for organizing and implementing the bankruptcy conference during Covid. Traveling the state to help families and businesses in both Northwest and Central Arkansas, Vanessa lives in Little Rock with her three children and three dogs. Outside of the legal arena, Vanessa spends her time with her children and serving as a committee member and volunteer of the Twentieth Century Lodge’s Hope Away from Home, a nonprofit organization that provides no-cost housing to cancer patients in Arkansas who are in financial distress.
Frank Cardoza
Senior Assistant Corporate Counsel for J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.
B.S., University of Arkansas, Fort Smith
J.D., University of New Mexico
LL.M., Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
Frank Cardoza is a Senior Assistant Corporate Counsel for J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. He currently handles transportation agreement negotiations and interpretations for J.B. Hunt. In addition, he is responsible for creating and teaching courses related to legal issues facing the operations and sales departments for J.B. Hunt. Prior to joining J.B. Hunt, Mr. Cardoza worked in private practice handling primarily estate planning, probate litigation, tax planning, and real estate transactions.
He resides in Tontitown, Arkansas, with his two children, Ezra and Noa, and his two cats, Biscochitos and Hazel.
Lisa Roam
Public Defender at Sebastian County
Lisa Roam is a dedicated Public Defender who has been proudly serving the Sebastian County community since 2021. Guided by a commitment to help others, Lisa
represents juveniles on the Family in Need of Services (FINS) dockets and adults facing felony charges who are unable to afford private counsel. Lisa also serves as a proud member of the Sebastian County Veterans Treatment Court team, supporting rehabilitative justice for those who have served.
Originally from El Paso, Texas, Lisa moved to Arkansas during high school and graduated from Greenwood High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, where she was elected and re-elected Student Body President in 2011 and 2012. She went on to receive her Juris Doctor from William H. Bowen School of Law.
Beyond the courtroom, Lisa remains deeply involved in her community. She is a member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood Chapter DU, a philanthropic organization committed to advancing women’s education through scholarships, grants, and loans. She is also a member of the Fort Smith Junior League, which focuses on developing women’s leadership and community impact.
In her free time, Lisa enjoys trips to the library with her son, floating on the rivers of Oklahoma, working out, dining at Chuy’s, and getting lost in a good book.
Courtney Nosari-Wall
Judicial Law Clerk for Justice Hudson, Arkansas Supreme Court
Courtney Nosari-Wall has been a member of the Arkansas Bar since 2008. Her legal career includes over a decade of experience as a judicial law clerk at the Arkansas Supreme Court, the Arkansas Court of Appeals, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. From 2015 to 2023, she worked at the Supreme Court for Justice
Robin F. Wynne, and during that time she assisted him in his role as the Court’s liaison to the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission. Since January 2025, she has clerked for Justice Courtney Hudson, who is now a liaison to the Access to Justice Commission.
In addition to her extensive work for the judiciary, Courtney has practiced law in both public and private settings, including as Deputy General Counsel for the Arkansas Department of Corrections in 2023 to 2024. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law in December 2007, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. She is a proud graduate of Little Rock Central High School, where she was a National Merit Finalist.
Courtney is an Arkansas native and lives in Little Rock with her husband and two children.
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