A former Mountain Home teacher and Flippin Elementary School principal has been named vice president for technical education and workforce development at North Arkansas College in Harrison.
Lewis Villines, who currently serves as assistant superintendent for the Harrison School District, will begin the new role April 6.
Northark honored Villines as its 2025-26 Distinguished Alumnus last October at the college’s Evening on the Plaza dinner, not yet knowing he would soon be joining the campus in a leadership capacity.
Villines attended Northark during the 1989-90 academic year before transferring to the University of Arkansas, where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1993. He later earned a master’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas in 2006 and a doctorate from Harding University in 2017.
He began his career as a high school agriculture teacher, spending 14 years in the classroom before moving into administration. After his time at Flippin Elementary, he went on to serve as principal at Huntsville High School and Rogers High School.
In his new role, Villines will oversee both credit-bearing technical programs and non-credit workforce training at Northark and will serve on the college’s executive leadership team.
Northark President Rick Massengale said Villines’ ties to school superintendents across Northwest Arkansas position the college to build new regional partnerships.
“His strong ties to superintendents in the northwest portion of the state will help us build new partnerships and expand workforce education into communities that need these opportunities the most,” Massengale said.
Villines said he looks forward to expanding opportunities for students and the regional workforce, “North Arkansas College plays a critical role in preparing students for meaningful careers,” Villines said, “and I’m excited to work with faculty, staff, industry partners, and the community to expand opportunities that help students succeed and strengthen our regional workforce.”
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