Senator Missy Thomas Irvin is a Republican representing Senate District 24 in Arkansas, which includes Searcy, Stone, and Van Buren Counties, and parts of Cleburne, Faulkner, and Newton Counties. First elected in 2010, she made history as the first Republican to hold the seat since Reconstruction in 1874, the first woman, the first from Stone County, and—at age 39—the youngest woman ever elected to the Arkansas Senate. She currently serves her fourth term as chair of the Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee and Senate vice chair of the Joint Budget Committee. Notable achievements include serving as state chair for the American Legislative Exchange Council and as a founding board member of the Human Rights for Kids Organization. Her early political involvement began at age nine volunteering for Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign, followed by roles in Sheffield Nelson’s gubernatorial campaigns and as campaign manager for her brother Bob Thomas's 2000 U.S. Congressional bid.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Irvin graduated from Mount Saint Mary Academy. She earned a Bachelor of Arts with a triple major in Political Science, Communications, and Dance, plus a minor in Art History, from Randolph-Macon Women’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia. She studied at the University of Reading and Oxford University in England.
• Political Experience: Prior to the Senate, she held campaign roles including Special Events Coordinator and Assistant Finance Director for Sheffield Nelson’s 1994 gubernatorial campaign. In the Senate, she has chaired committees like Education and Public Health, Welfare, and Labor; served on Insurance and Commerce, Legislative Council, and Joint Budget; and been involved in auditing and performance review committees. She has received awards such as Coach of the Year from the Arkansas State Soccer Association in 2010 and a Presidential Award for community volunteer work in 2008.