Bentonville think tank Heartland Forward has named Krista Cupp executive vice president of partnerships and events and executive director of the Heartland Summit, while J.T. Geren has been promoted to vice president of communications. These appointments come at a pivotal moment as Heartland Forward is on track to generate $500 million in economic impact in the heartland by 2030.
In her dual role, Cupp will steer the Heartland Summit, the organization’s flagship convening of policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs and business leaders, to position the heartland at the center of national dialogue on innovation and growth. As executive vice president for partnerships and events, she will also drive Heartland Forward’s engagement strategy, forging high-impact collaborations and elevating the organization’s platform across the region.
As vice president of communications, Geren will develop and drive Heartland Forward’s comprehensive communication strategy, overseeing branding, public relations, media relations and digital communications. Additionally, Geren will lead public policy engagement and initiatives on Heartland Forward’s three impact areas of regional competitiveness, talent pipeline and health and wellness.
“The heartland is at a pivotal moment with game-changing opportunities in AI, education, health and workforce development,” said Angie Cooper, president of Heartland Forward. “Krista and JT bring deep roots, bold vision and proven leadership to drive collaboration, investment and partnerships. I’m excited to work alongside them to turn ideas into action and accelerate growth across the heartland.”
This announcement follows the success of the 2025 Heartland Summit, which convened more than 350 leaders in Bentonville and announced major initiatives, including the unveiling of the new Maternal and Child Health Center for Policy and Practice, a partnership with Stemuli to bring gamified AI training to rural students and entrepreneurs, the first publication of Pulse of the Heartland, a decision day for rootEd Arkansas students to share their postsecondary plans and a new university to reimagine STEM education in the heartland.
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