Michael Lanier, Executive Director, EOA:
As EOA’s Executive Director, Michael oversees the operation of all EOA’s Divisions, including EOA Children’s House.  Michael grew up in southeast Texas on the Louisiana border.  He graduated from Texas A&M University in 1976 and moved to Arkansas to enroll in the University of Arkansas for his Master’s degree in Food Science.   Upon graduation, he worked for five years in the food industry doing new product development. In 1984, he returned to Texas A&M to earn his Master’s in Business Administration with an emphasis on finance and accounting.

From 1988 to 2007, Michael served as the Chief Financial Officer for EOA.  During his tenure, he served on various national and state boards.  He also provided consultant services to other not-for-profit organizations. In 2007, he moved to Missouri where he was a partner and CFO for Silver Star Development, before returning to Arkansas in 2010 to assume the post of Executive Director for EOA.

Michael is married to Vickie, who works as the Quality Improvement Coordinator for the Community Clinic NWA. They have two children, Hunter and Wendy.

Brenda Zedlitz, LMSW, Director of Children’s Services, EOA:
Brenda’s responsibilities as EOA of Washington County, Inc.’s Director of Children’sServices include overseeing the operations of EOA’s Children’s House and Head Start/Early Head Start divisions in Washington County which annually serve more than 400 infants, toddlers, and pre-schoolers. Working for an organization like EOA Children’s House which seeks to break the cycle of child abuse permanently resonates deeply with Brenda’s personal and professional values.

A life-long advocate for healing children and mending families, Brenda completed her undergraduate work at West Texas A&M University in 2001 receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Sociology in preparation of her work to aid and nurture children in need. Brenda began her professional expression of these values in 2002 as a Child Protection Services Specialist, then as a Child Care Investigator for the Texas Department of Protective & Regulatory Services. Brenda also continued her professional development, earning a highly sought after Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) degree from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2007 and is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) in Arkansas.

Brenda is a member of several significant professional organizations including NASW (National Association of Social Workers), National Head Start Association, Arkansas Head Start Association, Arkansas Infant Mental Health Association, and is an (ABC) Arkansas Better Chance Coordinator. She and her husband of 31 years, Mark, are founding members of All Saint’s Episcopal Church, Bentonville, where she serves as Music Director and is a past member of the Vestry. They have made their home in NWA since 2005.

Terri Teters, CDA, Assistant Director, EOA Children’s House:
Terri Teters has been employed with EOA Children’s House since February 1, 1988. She obtained her Child Development Associate degree in 1999 and has more than two decades of experience with early childhood education and providing treatment and therapy for abused and neglected children.

Terri began her career at EOA Children’s House as a Teacher Assistant.  In January 1993 she became the Education/Volunteer Coordinator.  Terri’s duties and responsibilities in that role included coordinating the educational services for the children, insuring that the classrooms met the state guidelines for quality care and best practices.  Terri also oversaw all aspects of volunteer work done at EOA Children’s House. Terri has been the Assistant Director since December 2010 and has been a part of the development team developing the strategic plan for the historic expansion of educational services and service capacity in The Pat Walker Center for Children.

Terri has lived in Springdale since 1983. She is married to Myron Teters and they have 4 children and 4 grandchildren.

Julie Olsen, Director of Development, EOA:
Julie is a native Nebraskan with more than 10 years experience in the fundraising industry. She holds Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Bachelor of Music degrees from Hastings College (NE) and a Master of Music degree from The University of Texas-Austin School of Music.

Most recently, Julie was the Annual Giving Officer at Walton Arts Center, where she was responsible for all individual annual giving programs. Previously, she was Director of Development for the Alzheimer’s Association – Big Sioux Chapter (Iowa) and a fundraising consultant with the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra.
Julie is also an active volunteer, having served on the Board of Directors with the Mary J. Treglia Community House (Sioux City, IA) and the Alzheimer’s Association’s Northwest Arkansas Leadership Council. She currently serves as President of Chapter BI – Springdale of the P.E.O. Sisterhood and is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Rotary Club of Springdale.

Julie, her husband and two sons have called Northwest Arkansas home since 2006.

Ben McLintock, CFRE, Senior Development Officer, EOA:
Ben began at EOA as the organization’s Director of Development in 2004. He was charged with the challenging task of creating a Development Office to support the operational needs of EOA, in particular, EOA Children’s House.

Within 18 months of his hire date, Ben began laying the groundwork for The Campaign for Children; a 6.5 million dollar capital campaign to raise the funding needed to build a new home for EOA Children’s House.  The Campaign for Children was an ambitious goal, more than 17 times greater than any other private fundraising effort EOA had ever attempted in its 45 year history.  In spite of the greatest economic downturn since the Great Depression, Ben and a volunteer campaign steering committee raised all the funding necessary to build The Pat Walker Center for Children.
Ben is originally from California, but has lived in Arkansas for the past 10 years.  His former career as a television news anchor/reporter is what originally brought him to Arkansas; his then future wife, Kelly, convinced him to stay.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Radio and Television Broadcasting from San Francisco State University.  He is currently in his second year of studies at the University of Arkansas School of Law and will graduate with a Juris Doctor in 2013.  He is currently on sabbatical from the Rotary Club of Springdale, an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), one of only 33 fundraising executives in Arkansas to hold this sought-after credential.  In the summer of 2011, Ben took a new role in EOA’s Development Office, Senior Development Officer, to allow him more flexibility to continue his studies in law school.  He and his family have lived in Springdale for the past 8 years.