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Sanders named national finalist for ACTE Postsecondary Professional of the Year
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The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) has named Starlinda Sanders, associate vice president for workforce and economic development at Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC), the 2027 ACTE Region IV Postsecondary Professional of the Year, advancing her as one of five finalists for the national award.
The award recognizes outstanding postsecondary career and technical education professionals who demonstrate innovation, commitment to students and significant contributions to advancing CTE within their institutions and communities.
Sanders is one of five finalists for the 2027 national title. The national winner will be announced at the ACTE Awards Gala, an annual award presentation recognizing the best CTE educators in the country. The event will take place on Dec. 2 in New Orleans.
Sanders has built her career around creating stronger connections between education, workforce needs and economic opportunity. At NWACC, she provides strategic leadership for workforce and economic development initiatives designed to expand access to high-demand careers while helping employers build the skilled talent they need to grow.
"NWACC is fortunate to have Associate Vice President Sanders as a leader in our Workforce Division,” said Anthony Kinkel, NWACC senior vice president of enterprise relations. “Her experience in the K-12 sector, as well as her relationships with business and industry, make her exceptionally skilled in her role. This recognition for her work – and the difference she makes for our region – is well deserved.”
As a workforce leader in one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions, Sanders is helping address the talent demands created by Northwest Arkansas’ rapid economic and population growth.
Since joining NWACC’s leadership team in 2024, Sanders has led significant expansion and modernization of workforce programming across areas, including artificial intelligence, automation and robotics, healthcare, culinary arts, construction and skilled trades, professional skills training and stackable credentials. These efforts have focused on creating flexible, accelerated pathways for students, adult learners and incumbent workers while responding directly to the changing needs of regional employers.
“Starlinda’s ability to build strong partnerships with employers, community organizations and state agencies is unmatched,” said Ross White, director of the Arkansas Division of Career and Technical Education. “She consistently champions equitable access to education, ensuring that students from all backgrounds have opportunities to pursue high-wage, high-demand careers. Her strategic vision has elevated the college’s role as a workforce development hub for Northwest Arkansas and beyond.”
Learn more about NWACC’s Workforce and Professional Development Division.