Gov.-elect Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Tuesday the appointment of Alexa Henning, a former White House director of broadcast media for President Trump, as the communications director in the governor's office.
The Republican governor-elect also announced the appointment of Mary Asleigh Harper, a former coordinator of the first lady of Arkansas in Gov. Asa Hutchinson's office, as the Governor's Mansion administrator.
"Alexa is a strong, talented communicator who served alongside me at the White House, and Mary Asleigh brings a servant's heart with an eye for detail to assist my family and me in the Governor's Mansion," said Sanders, a former White House press secretary for President Trump and the daughter of former Gov. Mike Huckabee.
"Both are tremendous additions to our team who will help me effectively lead our state and serve our people," Sanders said in a news release.
Sanders transition spokesman Judd Deere, who will serve as a deputy chief of staff in the governor's office, said Henning will take on responsibilities for dealing with the media after the transition.
Henning's and Harper's salaries are to be determined, said Deere.
Henning most recently served as deputy chief of staff and spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and senior adviser to Johnson's 2022 re-election campaign, according to Sanders' news release.
Prior to her most recent work, she was director of media affairs for the Donald J. Trump for President campaign in 2020 and former White House director of broadcast media for President Trump. She also worked for Jamestown Associates, a political and public affairs firm, and for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. She is from Dallas, and a graduate of the University of Missouri.
Harper has worked the past three years as a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences education coordinator, representing the Arkansas Rural Health Partnership, according to Sanders' news release.
Prior to that, she spent two years in the classroom as a first-grade teacher at Noble-Allbritton Elementary School in the Hamburg School District. She served as the coordinator of the first lady of Arkansas in the office of Hutchinson. She is a Hamburg native and graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where she received a bachelor's degree, and the University of Arkansas at Monticello, where she received a master's degree in education.
A month ago, Sanders announced that Gretchen Conger, who served as senior policy adviser to Sanders' gubernatorial campaign and works as deputy director for the governor-elect's transition team, will be chief of staff in the governor's office, and campaign manager Chris Caldwell will be a senior adviser to her 2026 re-election campaign.
Prior to coming to Arkansas, Conger worked for Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, first as his legislative director and then as deputy chief of staff.
Sanders subsequently announced the appointment of Deere as a deputy chief of staff, Kelly Eichler as a deputy chief of staff, Andrew "Vu" Ritchie as chief legal counsel and Jordon Powell as director of public affairs.
Deere is a former White House deputy press secretary for Trump and a former spokesman for Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. Eichler is a former aide to former Gov. Mike Huckabee and Hutchinson. Ritchie is a former aide to U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton and Hutchinson. Powell served as deputy campaign manager for Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign in 2016.
Last week, Sanders said she plans to reappoint Arkansas Department of Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward, who has served in the post since March 2015.
She previously announced her intent to nominate Arkansas State Police Captain Mike Hagar as secretary of the state Department of Public Safety and as director of the Arkansas State Police, and her intent to appoint Mike Mills as secretary of the state Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.
Sanders also said current Department of Public Safety Secretary A.J. Gary has agreed to continue as director of the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management. Gary currently serves in both roles. Arkansas State Police Director Col. Bill Bryant plans to retire Dec. 31, according to a department spokesman.
Mills is the founder and owner of Buffalo Outdoor Center in Ponca, which was Arkansas' first log cabin resort. From 1982 to 1986 he served as Arkansas' director of tourism, where he started Partners in Tourism. The departing state Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism secretary is Stacy Hurst.
So far, Sanders has announced three Cabinet secretaries for state departments in her administration. State government has 15 executive-branch departments headed by secretaries.
Sanders is slated to be sworn in Jan. 10 to assume the reigns of state government from Hutchinson, who has served as the state's chief executive since January 2015.