Power Women 2021: Jane English
Arkansas State Senator
How did you get started in your field?
My career has many chapters from being a military wife, mother, student and volunteer to years as a project manager recruiting new industry with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, as president of a national association on military base closures, executive director of the Arkansas Manufacturers Association, to the cabinet-level Director of the Workforce Investment Board, state chairman for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve and finally, to the legislature. If someone had told me 15 years ago that I would be in the Arkansas legislature, I would have said they were crazy.
What do you love best about what you do?
Many folks think legislators do nothing but pass laws. The bigger job is to develop public policy that will help move the state of Arkansas and its citizens forward whether it is education, health care, public safety, infrastructure, business and many other areas.
How did your education prepare you for your career?
While I have a degree in economics and finance, that alone would not have gotten me where I am today. Education has to be lifelong with learning new things every day. The world is changing so quickly and in order to be successful, it is imperative that we all learn more about the business we are in but also the issues that affect our families and the state.
What advice would you give to a young woman starting her career?
I would tell every young woman starting out to expand your horizons and take advantage of new opportunities that might present themselves. There are so many opportunities that we just don’t know about unless we try them out. Be inquisitive and don’t be afraid to fail. You don’t know what the future holds but be prepared. You might even find yourself in the Arkansas state legislature making policy decisions.
