Written by KD Reep
PINE BLUFF and LITTLE ROCK, AR (Apr. 16, 2026) – Two of Arkansas’s most recognizable and respected broadcast journalists headlined the fundraising luncheons, Find Your Way, benefiting Project Transformation Arkansas, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through literacy, youth development and leadership opportunities for young adults.
Award-winning FOX16 news anchor Donna Terrell served as a special guest in conversation with Rev. Samantha (Sam) Meadors at the Pine Bluff luncheon on Tues., Apr. 7, while longtime, retired KTHV Channel 11 anchor Craig O’Neill served as a special guest speaker at the Little Rock luncheon on Tues., Apr. 14.
Both events highlighted the organization’s growing impact in Arkansas while raising funds to support summer and after-school programs for elementary school students in under-resourced communities.
Rev. Samantha (Sam) Meadors, executive director of Project Transformation Arkansas, also was presented the inaugural Eric Lindh Award for Steadfast and Visionary Leadership. This award was created in 2025 to celebrate the extraordinary work and leadership across Project Transformation’s network. The award is named for Project Transformation National’s founding CEO, Eric Lindh. Rev. Meadors was nominated by her peers because of the ways she embodies the key values of Project Transformation, leading with:
- a vision for excellence,
- a keen ability to listen and foster the team’s strengths,
- a curiosity that kept an open-mind, asked questions, and curated innovative ideas, and
- a steadfast humility and kindness with which he approached leadership and equity.
Rev. DeeDee Autry, the superintendent of the South District of the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church, presented the award to Rev. Meadors in Pine Bluff. Dr. Julie Wilke and Katie Clifford with the national chapter of Project Transformation presented the award to Rev. Meadors in Little Rock.
Pine Bluff Luncheon
Terrell has been a trusted presence in Arkansas television since joining FOX16 in 2004, anchoring weekday evening newscasts. During her distinguished journalism career, she has earned multiple Emmy Awards and national recognition for reporting on health, social issues and community stories.
Beyond the newsroom, Terrell is known for her deep commitment to service. She founded Yoga Warriors Fighting Colon Cancer, a nonprofit that provides nutritional support for cancer patients undergoing treatment. The organization honors the memory of her daughter, Queah, who passed away from colon cancer. Terrell also serves on the board of Women and Children First and has supported numerous organizations including the American Cancer Society and Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Little Rock Luncheon
For more than 50 years, Craig O’Neill has been one of Arkansas’s most beloved broadcasters, known for his work in both radio and television as lead anchor at KTHV Channel 11. Recently retired from television, O’Neill now promotes literacy statewide through Craig’s Reader Road Trip, inspiring communities and students with his passion for reading and lifelong learning. With his trademark humor and storytelling, O’Neill continues to champion literacy and civic engagement across Arkansas schools and communities.
Transforming Communities Through Literacy and Leadership
Project Transformation Arkansas works to transform communities by engaging children, college-age young adults and churches in purposeful relationships.
The organization launched its first summer program in 2022 in Pine Bluff, where young adult interns and volunteers served more than 50 children in neighborhoods that are under-resourced. Today, the program operates in both Pine Bluff and Little Rock, offering summer day camps and community-based programming that focus on literacy, social-emotional learning and spiritual development.
“We provide two key services,” said Rev. Meadors. “First is leadership development and ministry exploration opportunities for college-age young adults through summer and one-year service internships. The second is community-oriented after-school and summer day camp programming for children and youth.”
A hallmark of the program is daily one-to-one reading, where each child is paired with a volunteer to strengthen literacy skills while building meaningful relationships.
Supporting the Mission
Funds raised from the Pine Bluff and Little Rock luncheons will help expand programming, support college-age interns and increase access to literacy resources for children and families in Arkansas communities. For more information about Project Transformation Arkansas, visit https://projecttransformation.org/arkansas/.