Matt is a Solutions Architect group leader with Vestcom where he designs digital shelf solutions for new clients .  (Think fancy price tags.)  Before joining Vestcom, Matt held leadership roles with Market Strategies International, Midwest Telemark, and Alltel.  He is a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, AR, where he was a member of the Ouachita Student Foundation as well as the Beta Beta Men’s Social Club.

A native of Rison in southeast Arkansas (Cleveland Co.), Matt enjoys volunteering his time in the Little Rock area with the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance.

Matt Buie will be the District Governor for Rotary District 6150 during the 2026–2027 Rotary year.  He is a Charter Member of the Rotary Club of Little Rock Afterhours and has previously served as District Membership Chair and Assistant District Governor.  Matt is also proud to represent Arkansas as an Ambassador for the Rotary BREW Fellowship (Beers Rotarians Enjoy Worldwide).

Matt and his wife, Jennifer (also a Rotarian), are kept busy by two small Brussels Griffon puppies named Grizzly Bear and Leopold Bean.

Shawnee Cooper began her Rotary journey in 2015.  This provided her not only with a wonderful opportunity to serve but to establish significant Rotary relationships including meeting her husband PDG Dennis Cooper.  In addition to serving in two other Rotary clubs, she helped charter with Dennis the Rotary Club of Saline County After-Hours in December 2021.  As an active leader in Rotary, Shawnee has held numerous positions including Club President, District Conference Chair, District Grants Chair, District Trainer and Assistant Governor.  One of Shawnee’s most passionate roles is as an Ambassador for the Arkansas Rotary Action Group Against Slavery (RAGAS).  Awarded Rotarian of the Year 2022-2023 for her tireless work on combatting human trafficking, she travels frequently presenting programs and training in combatting this serious issue. Dennis and Shawnee are Major Donors, Bequest Society Members and Paul Harris Society Members. Mrs. Cooper is honored to be serving as District Governor 2026-2027.

Shawnee comes to Rotary from a long and successful career as a Human Resources Director and continues to teach in that field.  She and Dennis are grandparents to 11 precious children which undoubtedly adds even more passion to her adamant quest to bring awareness and enlist others to prevent the horrific act of trafficking humans. 

Dr. Laura Garrett lives in Tulsa Oklahoma and was born in Oklahoma City. She is a member of the Will Rogers Rotary Club. She is a third generation Rotarian, has been a Rotarian for over 25 years and is a Paul Harris Fellow Plus Two. She has served as an Assistant District Governor and also the Youth Protection Officer for District 6110. She serves as an Associate Professor of Psychology at Tulsa Community College She also serves as a Community Educator and Board Member for the Oklahoma Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. She was recently appointed to the Oklahoma Healthy Brain Initiative Program at the State Health Department. Dr. Laura has Doctorate of Education in Family Studies and Child Development from Oklahoma State University with a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology. She holds a Master of Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma and a Bachelors in Consumer Affairs with a Secondary Major in Gerontology from Kansas State University. She is a certified Dementia Practitioner. Dr. Laura’s only sister Elizabeth was the first female president at Cornell University at the time of her death. Dr. Laura has two children; her daughter Sarah holds a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and is currently a graduate student in Ravensburg Germany and her son Rob is a recent grad of the University of Southern California. She is available to give programs in the areas of Blue Zones, Dementia, Generational Differences, the real Winnie the Pooh, and Carrie Nation.