Dr. Liz Lundeen Joins Institute as Director of Programs

PETIT JEAN MOUNTAIN, Ark. (March 30, 2026) — The Winthrop Rockefeller Institute (the Institute) is pleased to announce that Dr. Liz Lundeen has joined as director of programs. 

“I know from my experience interacting with members of the Institute team that there is a genuine commitment to the work and to Winthrop Rockefeller’s collaborative approach to creating transformational change.” 

From debate floors and classrooms to statewide leadership programs, Lundeen's career has been guided by a commitment to civic engagement and collaborative problem solving.  

As she steps into her new role at the Institute, her professional journey reflects a belief in curiosity, strong relationships, and thoughtful strategy as drivers of meaningful change. 

Lundeen earned a PhD in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and taught at the college level, researching leadership and racial equity in higher education during the civil rights era. Her work with the Southern Oral History Program strengthened her skills in collaboration and community engagement. She also holds an MPhil in Historical Studies from Cambridge University and a BA in History and Political Science from Wake Forest University, where she competed on the policy debate team. 

After moving to Arkansas, she joined the Glenn Pelham Foundation for Debate Education, developing workforce programs centered on “productive conflict.”  

 

Most recently, Lundeen served as director of the Arkansas Certified Public Manager Program, leading curriculum development and mentoring public servants through organizational change initiatives. 

 

“Collaborative problem solving starts by ensuring everyone who needs to be part of the solution is in the room or represented,” Lundeen said. 

She emphasizes that effective collaboration must create space for everyone to participate and for a range of viewpoints to be heard.