Rev. Keith Dodson
FUMC Benton

Rev. Keith Dodson has a heart for Christ and building relationships with others. His passions in ministry include Discipleship, Missions, and age-level ministry. His energy and enthusiasm are infectious and create a Spirit-filled culture!

Rev. Dodson is married to Lori, and together they have two children, Rebekah and Joshua. Rev. Dodson enjoys spending time with his family and in God's creation.

Rev. Mark Norman
Highland Valley UMC

Rev. Mark Norman is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas. He has served as a pastor in the United Methodist Church since 1992. He is a graduate of Philander Smith College with Bachelors of Arts in Philosophy/Religion. He went on the receive a Masters of Divinity from Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri.

Mark enjoys preaching, worship leading, various kinds of music, bible study and mission.

Brother Mark has been blessed to serve at St. James-Lonoke, Swope Park-Kansas City, Wesley Chapel-Little Rock, Saint Paul-Maumelle, Rossville UMC-Kansas, and Associate Pastor at Benton First. Before being appointed to Highland Valley he was the District Superintendent of the Southeast District in the Arkansas Conference.

In 2016 and 2020 Mark was elected to be the lead clergy delegate to General Conference. He a member of the executive team of the South Central Jurisdiction Episcopal Committee.

Rev. Norman has been blessed to be married to Rev. Natasha Murray for 23 years. They are the proud parents of Kelly Murray-Norman and Mylas Murray Norman.

Rev. Nathan Kilbourne
Jacksonville UMC

Pastor Nathan is currently serving as the Pastor of First UMC Jacksonville and is starting his 7th year of ministry with the great people of Jacksonville. Prior to coming to Jacksonville he served as pastor of Vilonia UMC and associate of Asbury UMC LR. Though not originally from Arkansas (East Tennessee is home for Nathan), he met his beautiful wife in seminary and learned to call the hogs like her. She also serves as an elder in the Arkansas Annual Conference and is currently appointed to an extension ministry as the Director of Development of the Methodist Foundation of Arkansas. Nathan and Lynne have two kids, elegant Eleanor and lovely Lydia.

Rev. Todd-Paul Taulbee
Sheridan UMC

Rev. Todd-Paul R. Taulbee was appointed as senior pastor to First UMC of Sheridan in June of 2018. Since graduating from Hendrix College (B.A.) in 1994 and Duke University (M.Div.) in 1997, Rev. Taulbee has served as associate pastor at Trinity UMC, Little Rock; started a new church (Foundery UMC) in Lowell; as pastor of Lakeside UMC in Lake Village; as senior pastor of First UMC of Bryant; as senior pastor of First UMC of Morrilton; and as senior pastor of First UMC of West Memphis.

He has been married to Elizabeth, (an English and Oral Communications teacher at Sheridan High School) for 26 years and they are proud parents of Sara, a sophmore at Sheridan High School. Together the Taulbees enjoy their Labrador Retrievers, Quinn and Dawkins, traveling, watching Sara play soccer, and Duke basketball. But don’t hold that against them.

Rev. Susan Ledbetter

FUMC Bryant

Rev. Susan Ledbetter has served as a United Methodist Elder in the Arkansas Conference since 2007 and started her ministry at First United Methodist Church in Bryant on July 1, 2018.

Susan and Justin, who is also an ordained minister in The United Methodist Church, have served in a variety of churches in Northwest and Northeast Arkansas. For four years, Susan served as a District Superintendent aiding the Bishop and the Conference in leading strategic initiatives and deploying pastors to share the love of Christ with congregations throughout the state. Prior to that, Susan served Arkansas congregations in Benton, Fayetteville and Bentonville.

Susan has always been an active member of a United Methodist Church. Growing up at First UMC in Colorado Springs, children and youth choirs, domestic and international mission trips and multiple Bible studies steered her in the direction of a call toward ordained ministry. Once God placed the call to serve Christ as a United Methodist minister, she pursued it with joy and enthusiasm. As a church leader, Susan desires to be an encourager and place emphasis on Biblical humility, hope and hospitality.

Susan and Justin's pride and joy is their daughter, Sadie, who is entering her freshman year at Bryant High School.