Thomas W. Kimbrell, Ed.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor of Educational Administration
Curriculum and Instruction
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
815 Bishop St.
Little Rock, AR 72202
Phone: (501) 372-1691
FAX: (501) 372-2807
t.kimbrell@aaea.k12.ar.us
Degrees:
Ed.D., Arkansas State University, Educational Leadership, 2003
M.S.E., Arkansas State University, Secondary Principalship, 1991
B.S.E., University of Arkansas, Secondary Education, 1984
Professional Biography:
Tom Kimbrell was elected in May 2005 as only the second executive director of the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators in the organization's 30 year history. He took over leadership of the organization as Dr. Kellar Noggle retired from that position Dec. 31, 2005. Prior to this selection he served as superintendent of schools in North Little Rock and the Paragould school districts.
Kimbrell began his career in education as a classroom math and science teacher as well as a coach in the Pocahontas School District. He then worked in the Paragould School District as a teacher, coach, building level administrator and eventually as Director of Fiscal Services after spending over three years as an assistant principal at his alma mater and home town of Corning in Northeast Arkansas.
Kimbrell earned a doctorate in educational leadership from Arkansas State University in 2003. He received his master's degree in secondary principalship from Arkansas State University and his bachelor's degree from University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
He has been active in the work of the administrators' association since beginning his work as a school administrator in 1990. He served on the Arkansas Association of School Administrators' Board of Directors and was to serve as that group's president during the 2005-06 school year, but resigned that office in order to be named executive director of the AAEA. He served for six years on the Arkansas Activities Association Executive Board and was president of the AAA in 2003-04.
The Arkansas Council on Economic Education named Kimbrell Economics Superintendent of the Year for the State of Arkansas in 2002 and he served as the president of ACEE during the 2004-05 school year. He co-chaired the New Facility Standards Committee while serving on the Arkansas Facility Task Force and has served on the Arkansas Commission for Coordinating of Educational Reform, the Public Education Technology Advisory Board, and four years on the North Central Accreditation State Committee. He currently serves on the Education Commissioner's Advisory Board, the Arkansas Leadership Academy Partners Committee, the University of Arkansas' Community Education Leadership Council and the Arkansas Educational Reform Advisory Committee.
Academic Interests and Accomplishments:
Professional Affiliations and Awards
- 2004-June 2005 Arkansas Association of School Administrators, President Elect
- 2003-2004 Arkansas Facility Task Force, Co-Chair of New Facility Standards Committee
- 2004-present Arkansas Commission for Coordination of Educational Reform
- 2000-present Arkansas Council Economics America, President for Public School (2004-05)
- 2002-June 2005 Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators, Executive Board of Directors
- 2002 Arkansas Council Economics America, Superintendent of the Year
- 2002-2004 Public Education Technology Advisory Board, Appointment by Governor
- 2001-present North Central Accreditation State Committee Member
- 1999-2001 Arkansas Public School Computer Network (APSCN), Board of Directors
- 1998-2004 Arkansas Activities Association, President of Board of Directors (2004)
- 1998-present Association of School Business Officials
- 1996-present Arkansas Leadership Academy Individual and Team Participant and Trained Coach
- 1996-present National School Boards Association
Community Service
- 2004-present Junior Achievement of Arkansas, Board of Directors
- 2004-present North Little Rock Boys and Girls Club, Board of Directors
- 2004-present North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors
- 2004-present North Little Rock Economic Development Corp. Executive Board
- 2004-present Greater Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors
- 2004-present Arkansas Department of Education Directors' Superintendents Advisory Committee
- 1999-2003 Executive Board of Directors of Paragould Greene County Chamber of Commerce
- 2002 Chairperson of Paragould Greene County Chamber of Commerce
- 2001-2004 Chairperson for Legislative Affairs Committees of Paragould Greene County Chamber of Commerce
- 2000-2003 Paragould Community Development II and III Committee Member
- 1995-2004 Member of Paragould Rotary Club
- 2001-2003 Board of Directors of Greene County Industrial Training Center
Personal Information:
Dr. Kimbrell was born in Dyess, Ark., and moved to Turrell, Ark., prior to beginning elementary school. At the end of third grade, his father left the superintendency of the Turrell School District to become superintendent of the Corning School District where Kimbrell graduated in 1980.
He now lives in North Little Rock with his wife Tina and their two children, Kason, 10, and Gracie, 5. His wife has been an elementary teacher and administrator for the past 15 years and currently works in the Cabot School District. They spend all their free time together as a family, usually playing community league soccer and baseball, attending various high school activity events, or at Greer's Ferry Lake on the water.