About Mary Jo
Mary Jo Heye-Townsell has served as the City Council Member of Ward 2 Position 1 since January 1, 2011. Mary Jo has been a member on Street Committee, Budget Committee, and is currently serving on the Parks and Recreation and Senior Citizen Committees. She is a Certified Public Official through the Arkansas Municipal League and has served on the League’s Advisory Council for Large First Class Cities and the Public Safety Committee.

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Education & Experience
Mary Jo is a graduate of Texas A & M University with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Minor in Finance. She is also an Honors Graduate of the University of Arkansas Medical Science with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. While at UAMS, she received the Helen Fund Scholarship, Dr. Elizabeth O’Connell Endowed Scholarship, the Nightingale Award (voted on by her peers and instructors), and the Arkansas Nursing Students’ Association Courageous Heart Award. She is currently a Registered Nurse for the Little Rock School District at Little Rock Central High School. Mary Jo is also a USA Swimming and high school certified swim coach. She has coached with the Arkansas Dolphins Swim Team and has been Head Coach of Little Rock Central High School Swim Team since 2011.
Other Membership & Awards
Mary Jo is a member of Christ Episcopal Church. She is a former board member of the Sherwood Chamber of Commerce and the Sherwood Rotary Club and was awarded the 2010 Sherwood Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year. She also served as Vice Chair of Arkansas Swimming and was awarded the 2012 Conoco Phillips Arkansas USA Swimming Volunteer of the Year. Mary Jo received the 2019 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Preps Boys Swim Coach of the Year and the 2022 Arkansas All-Preps Swim Coach of the Year (Combined)
Sherwood Sharks Involvement
Mary Jo is best known in Sherwood for her involvement with the Sherwood Sharks Swim Team. She took over running the team as a volunteer in 2001 and grew it from approximately 50 kids into the largest summer swim team program in the state with over 300 participants. She became the Shark’s Assistant Head Coach in 2011 until 2019. This team has not lost a meet since 2004.
Personal Life
Mary Jo moved to Sherwood in 1995. Mother of 5 boys ranging in age from 19-25. Her oldest son, Trey, passed away December 6th of 2000. Christopher, 26, graduated in 2022 Dental School at the University of Tennessee and is starting his practice in Kansas City, Mo.; Thomas, 24, is in his third year of Medical School at UAMS; Ian, 22, graduated this year as a Physics Mayor at the University of Missouri St. Louis and is starting his doctoral program in physics at Missouri S & T in Rolla, MO; and Nicholas, 20, is a sophomore double major in Business and Political Science at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO. The four boys have been scholarshiped collegiate swimmers. She is married to Tab Townsell, the former Mayor of Conway

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