Jessica Pearson is arguably the engine behind Arkansas Moves, an organization dedicated to building a network of safe roads and trails for people who walk and bike. The group advocates for policy changes that prioritize human-powered transportation across the state. Pearson, a Bentonville resident, graduated from Drury University in 2005 with bachelor’s degrees in both public relations and advertising. She leverages that communication background not to sell a product, but to champion physical mobility for everyone. Pearson has spent years navigating the policy layers of Northwest Arkansas to make active transportation a reality. Her work with Arkansas Moves touches on everything from local trail maintenance to state-level legislation regarding bike lanes. It’s a far cry from a corporate office in Bentonville, but the community connections needed to get things done are remarkably similar. There’s a distinct kind of grit required to walk the halls of the Capitol or sit down with city planners, and Pearson applies the communication skills she honed during her time at Drury to bridge the gap between policy and people. For Northwest Arkansas residents, the vision involves creating safer corridors between Bentonville, Rogers, and Fayetteville. The Ozarks offer some of the best cycling and hiking terrain in the mid-south, yet the infrastructure hasn’t always kept pace with the number of people trading car keys for helmets. Pearson brings a grassroots, practical perspective to the challenge. She focuses on the basics: ensuring that a commuter in Springdale can reach Rogers safely on two wheels, without having to dodge six lanes of traffic. Her background in advertising and public relations provides the sharp tools necessary to navigate the sometimes dry world of policy making. It translates into persuasive storytelling, a skill that resonates with a community that values both tradition and progress. By positioning active transportation as a critical piece of the state’s future, she appeals to decades of lobbying efforts to bring larger employers and events to Arkansas, showing this is another key infrastructure priority. Supporting this vision requires more than just appreciation for the trails that wind through the city. It demands advocacy and policy changes that protect cyclists and pedestrians. You can learn
Source: Talk Business & Politics
