RPA STAFF
RPA CHAIRMAN Cody Hiland |
Cody Hiland served as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas from October 10, 2017 until December 31, 2020. He was appointed to that position by President Donald J. Trump and was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. During his first year as United States Attorney, the office produced an unprecedented 82% increase in criminal cases and ranked 6th in the nation in caseload per Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA).
Prior to his appointment as United States Attorney Cody was twice elected Prosecuting Attorney by the people of the 20th Judicial District. He served on the Executive Board and Legislative Committee of the Arkansas Prosecuting Attorney’s Association and was awarded the “Champion of Justice” award by the association in 2017. Cody served as an aide to Gov Mike Huckabee, litigated utility rate cases before the Arkansas Public Service Commission, and was a partner at Hiland, Thomas & Cox, PLLC. A native of Bee Branch, Cody attended Central Baptist College in 1990 through 1992, before receiving his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Central Arkansas and his Juris Doctorate from the William H. Bowen School of Law in Little Rock. Cody lives in Little Rock with his wife Jana and has 4 children; Claire, Caitlyn, John Reagan and Ethan. They are members of Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock. |
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SETH MAYS |
A graduate of Mansfield High School, Seth Mays attended Arkansas Tech University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and an Associate of Science in criminal justice. While in his senior year of college Seth was named Political Director for Governor Asa Hutchinson's 2018 campaign for re-election, which resulted in the largest win percentage for a 4-year governor and the most counties won by a Republican nominee at that time. Following the 2018 cycle, Seth moved to Washington, DC to work for the Republican National Committee in local and national communications, where he interacted with media outlets across the nation.
He moved back to Arkansas to be Senior Political Director for the Republican Party of Arkansas during the 2020 election, where Arkansas Republicans won a record number of state house and senate races, and finally controlled more than 50% of county-wide offices. It was from there that he joined the team at JCD Consulting, before ultimately becoming the Victory Director for the 2022 cycle, where Arkansas Republican again won a record number of new seats and elected the State’s first female Governor: Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Seth is a former two-time State Chairman of the Arkansas Federation of College Republicans. He currently lives in Little Rock, and is a native of Mansfield, AR. |
FINANCE DIRECTOR ASHLEY WELLS |
A native of Bryant, Arkansas, Ashley serves as the Finance Director at the Republican Party of Arkansas. Prior to becoming the Finance Director in 2016, Ashley served as the Deputy Finance Director at the RPA since 2014. Prior to working at the RPA, Ashley assisted in operating her successful family owned and operated business in Saline County. Ashley married her sweetheart and has two beautiful children and a cute dog. |
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AMBER CRAWFORD |
Amber, a Greenbrier native, is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas with a degree in Accounting, and The Campaign School at Yale. Prior to joining the Republican Party of Arkansas, Amber worked as a Policy Analyst for Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston. Previously, she served as the 2020 Political Director for French Hill for Arkansas, and as a Field Director for the Republican Party of Arkansas during the 2016 presidential election. She is a former First Vice-Chair of the Arkansas Young Republicans, and Chair of the Central Arkansas Young Republicans. Amber is a member of the Junior League of Little Rock, a Board Member of the Arkansas State House Society, and a member of the Impact Council via the Women's Public Leadership Network. She resides in Little Rock with her husband Chase, and their dog Kyzer. |
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT BEA GRAYES |
Bea Grayes, a native of Dumas, Arkansas is a graduate of Reed High in Dumas. She has a degree in banking, she worked at and managed several banking centers and mortgage companies throughout her career. After forty years, she retired from banking. After retirement, she came to work at the Republican Party of Arkansas, and after two and a half years of a second retirement, she came back to the Party She is the proud mother of five children, nineteen grandchildren, and twenty three great grandchildren. She is a member of Grace Missionary Baptist Church and is a licensed minister. |