AY’s Intriguing Women 2026

“Women, whether subtly or vociferously, have always been a tremendous power in the destiny of the world.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

What do a roofing professional, a renowned country music artist and a mortgage banker have in common? More than you think. We will start with an easy one — they are just a few illustrious members of a diverse and talented group of women making up AY About You’s 2026 “Intriguing Women.”

Arkansas is lucky to have such an array of accomplished women from so many different corners of the state. From Texarkana to Bentonville, from Greenbrier to Crossett — and even from Little Rock to that honorary exclave, Branson, Missouri — AY’s “Intriguing Women” can be found all over. That is not even to mention the mix of chosen hometowns and deep Arkansas roots, ranging from sixth-generation residents to those who happily made the Natural State home from the likes of Tennessee, Michigan, and as far afield as Nicaragua and Brazil.

Industries and professional pursuits likewise run the gamut with this lot. There are saleswomen and wealth managers, medical professionals and makeup artists, nonprofit leaders and advocates — in both the social and legal senses — along with small-business owners, marketers, restaurateurs and retirees staying more than busy.

Do not think these women are content to keep their ambitions confined to the office, the courthouse or the sales floor from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., either. They can frequently be seen out in their communities, pushing for positive change, whether sitting on boards and councils or donating their time, money, energy and voices to all manner of causes.

There are a multitude of interesting stories in the pages that follow and plenty more we did not have the space to tell — this time. There are journeys that started elsewhere and paths that took serious detours both figuratively and literally. Some women are putting the finishing flourishes on careers well spent, and some are just getting started or even starting over. There are grandmothers and new mothers, daughters, wives, partners and sisters, all hard at work to make their next chapter even better than the last.

As a woman-founded and woman-led company, AY Media Group knows firsthand the power of female leadership. We hope this year’s class of “Intriguing Women” serves as yet another prime example of just how much women can accomplish, whether they are building companies, bettering their communities, raising families or simply raising the bar for everyone who comes after.

At the heart of this year’s class — just like at the heart of every issue of AY About You — is a tangible sense of pride and passion in their work, in their lives and in everything that makes Arkansas special to them. The feeling, we think, is mutual.

Over the summer, the world and the South lost one of its preeminent standard-bearers of the “Intriguing Woman” label to be found anywhere. If this group is any indication, however, her example is in safe hands:

“You can wish your life away, but if you’re going to dream, you’re going to have to get out, and, like I always say, you have to put some wings on them dreams, and some feet and fingers and some hands. They’ve got to get into some stuff. You can’t just sit around and think of all the things you want to do. You’ve got to think of what you want to do, and then you’ve got to get out and make that happen.” — Dolly Parton

Here’s to the 2026 class of AY’s “Intriguing Women” and to all the women out there “making it happen.”