Our Mission
The mission of the Ark Angel Alliance is twofold:
Provide a member-driven marketplace to link investors to high potential early-stage ventures
Provide world-class early-stage investor education and networking opportunities
Board of Directors
Jeff Amerine, Chair
Jeff Amerine is one of the key leaders nationally involved with the creation of lasting venture ecosystems. Amerine has held senior leadership positions in nine startups and three Fortune 500 companies, and he has made more than 80+ angel investments into new ventures and small businesses either directly or through the funds he manages. Amerine now leads Startup Junkie Consulting and Cadron Capital partners. He served as Associate Vice Provost, Research and Economic Development, and Director of Technology Ventures at the University of Arkansas until leaving to pursue Startup Junkie Consulting full-time. His work at the University canvassed every aspect of the commercialization of life science, biotech, medical devices, healthcare information technology, pharma, and other areas of scientific and technical innovation. Amerine is a recognized expert in lean startup methodology and customer development processes. In addition, he is an adjunct professor and teaches entrepreneurship at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. Prior to all of this, Amerine served six years as United States Air Force Officer, working in the Strategic Air Command as a missile launch officer and later in research and development acquisition. He graduated from United States Naval Academy in 1984 and holds a Master of Science in Operations Management from the University of Arkansas. He is a certified Project Management Institute Project Management Professional (PMP).
Amy Hopper Swan, Treasurer
Amy Hopper Swan previously served as Board Chair for Ark Angel Alliance from November 2022 to January 2025 and continues to contribute as Treasurer and a valued board member. Amy Hopper Swan is a leader in project management, economic development, and entrepreneurial support. As Chair of the Ark Angel Alliance Board of Directors from 2022 to 2025, she worked to grow early-stage investment opportunities and support investors across Arkansas. Amy is the founder of Swan Impact Strategies, a consulting firm that helps nonprofits manage grant-funded projects by providing program design, implementation, and reporting services. She has also held roles at the Arkansas Research Alliance and Winrock International dedicated to helping innovators reach their next milestone.
Amy earned her MBA with a focus in entrepreneurship from the University of Arkansas and a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from the University of Oklahoma. She is a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) and a Professional Community and Economic Developer (PCED). Amy also serves on advisory boards for BioVentures at UAMS and helps plan the annual Entrepreneurial Support Ecosystem Summit. Through her work, she is dedicated to strengthening Arkansas’s innovation and investment landscape.
Alese Johnston
Alese Johnston previously served as Board Chair for Ark Angel Alliance January 2020 to November 2022. Alese Johnston is a founding partner at StorageTrader, a Little Rock marketplace platform for self-storage facility investments. Her work with StorageTrader draws on her decades of experience in both the FinTech and self-storage industries. She is also an angel investor focusing on real estate and FinTech StartUps.
She is a frequent speaker at local organizations like The Venture Center, Rotary Club 99, the Arkansas Association of Subcontractors, the Arkansas Society of CPAs, the Arkansas Society of Human Resource Managers, the Little Rock Chamber and Little Rock’s Tech Fest. She has been featured in Arkansas Business, Talk Business and Arkansas Money and Politics. She is quoted in “Exit Planning: The Definitive Guide” – by John Brown, CEO of BEI, in articles by Todd Ganos published in Forbes and has presented for the BEI National Conference for Exit Planners. Her favorite topic is the Silver Tsunami and its impact on economic stability.
Her board service resume includes Rotary Club 99 , Leadership Greater Little Rock Alumni Association, Wildwood Park for the Performing Arts, The Allen School, The Centers for Youth and Families, and the Heartland Alliance for Regional Transmission. She currently serves the Venture Center as a mentor and the Arkansas Governor’s Cup as a judge for the Innovation Division.
Lastly, Stroud is a graduate of both Leadership Greater Little Rock Class 21 and Leadership Arkansas Class 12.
John Nabholz
John Nabholz shares his passion for science and technology-based start-up companies by serving as a long-time member and past Chair of the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority board and as current Chair of the Commercialization Committee. ASTA has a focus to transform University Research and innovative business ideas into growing business startups with deep roots in Arkansas. Nabholz has been an active member of a number of investment funds including Cadron Creek Capital, Cadron Capital Partners, and is currently a Managing Partner for Health Tech Arkansas, a healthcare accelerator and early-stage investment fund that immerses world-class, early-stage healthcare companies from around the country into Arkansas’ leading hospital systems and physician practices.
He continues to serve on the Board of Directors of The Nabholz Group which provides a full range of construction services. Nabholz Construction has been nationally recognized for its innovative employee health care benefits system. Mr. Nabholz also serves on the Board of Directors of NABCO Mechanical and Electrical and Nabholz Properties.
Johns other current activities include Arkansas Policy Foundation Board Member and Vice-Chair, Conway Regional Medical Center Charitable Foundation Board, Health Sciences Entrepreneurship Boot Camp Mentor and volunteer, Conductor (Entrepreneur Incubator) – Mentor and Volunteer, Kiwanis International (Long Term Active Member and Past Board Member), Conway Catholic Campus Ministry Student Center Fundraising Chair.
Marla Johnson
Marla Johnson spent over 20 years deploying pioneering and award-winning work in Internet application development, data design, marketing and digital media in multiple industries including finance, government, retail, agriculture, health, tourism and food-service as CEO and Cofounder of Aristotle, Inc. In 2017, Marla funneled her passion into her online marketing and media consulting firm for transformative technology, Smart Media, LLC, and in 2018, she co-founded LeapXL with Brian Stack.
Courtney Little
Courtney Little graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management with a focus on Finance and later received his Juris Doctorate from William H. Bowen School of Law. He practiced construction and real estate law until he closed his firm in 2008 when he purchased ACE Glass and was named President and General Counsel. Little has a unique combination of construction and legal experience that helps him serve his customers and solve problems.
Tony Smith
Tony Smith is a highly experienced attorney with over 15 years of expertise across estate planning, business law, startups, real estate, and regulatory compliance. With a strong background in intellectual property and corporate governance, he has navigated complex legal landscapes in both the medical device and FinTech sectors. Tony excels at managing estate planning needs, advising startups on business structure and growth strategies, and handling intricate real estate transactions. He brings a strategic approach to guiding clients through compliance, product development, and stakeholder engagement. As the founder of Smith Law Firm, Tony provides comprehensive legal counsel tailored to the unique needs of each client.