Ms. Whatley has been Director of Legislative and Agency Affairs since August 2018. Ms. Burgess has been Senior Health Policy Advisor and liaison to the Department of Human Services since May 2019.
“Karen and Jordan have played significant roles in my administration,” Governor Hutchinson said. “Karen helped guide legislation to transform state government. Jordan and Karen have been on the front lines in our response to COVID-19. Each has hard-won experience that will benefit Arkansas as they assume their new roles.”
Ms. Whatley, who joined the Governor’s Office in August of 2018 as director of Legislative and Agency Affairs, graduated from Arkansas Tech University with a Bachelor’s in English. She earned her law degree in 1994 from the University of Arkansas Law School in Little Rock, which now is the William H. Bowen School of Law.
Ms. Whatley was an Assistant United States Attorney for nearly 14 years, then worked at Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates, and Woodyard for four years before she became executive director at the Arkansas State Medical Board, where she served two years.
“I am excited to take on this new role, which will allow me to utilize my legal background and training,” Whatley said. “The past three years as director of Legislative and Agency Affairs have been a perfect precursor for this position, and I am ready for a new challenge. I would like to thank Governor Hutchinson for this opportunity.”
