Dr. Mary Bane Lackie joined the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith as associate vice chancellor of development in January 2013. In February 2014, Lackie was promoted to vice chancellor for university advancement/executive director of the UAFS Foundation. She has more than 30 years of experience in higher education at institutions in Louisiana, Arkansas and abroad. This includes administrative posts in Admissions, Students Affairs, Residence Life, International Programs and University Advancement.
Lackie returned home to Arkansas in 2013 to accept a position at UAFS after eight and a half years of working abroad. She worked at educational institutions in Poland, Armenia and Dubai before wrapping up her stint overseas working on two US government-funded education projects in Pakistan. On the most recent project to improve teacher education in Pakistan, she worked for Teachers College, Columbia University, one of the most prestigious graduate schools for education in the United States.
Dr. Lackie earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Arkansas Tech University, her Master of Arts in Student Personnel Services from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, and her doctorate of education in Higher Education from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. She and her husband Bill have four grown children and two grandchildren.