Administration

Cyndi Bilyeu - Executive Director 

Cyndi Bilyeu joined the Benton County Sunshine School as the Executive Director in July 2012. Cyndi has over 13 years of nonprofit leadership and management experience, including an extensive background in staff and volunteer development, program improvement and community relations. Cyndi is active in the community as a member of the Rogers Noon Rotary Club, Emerging Leaders, a past member of Leadership Fayetteville, Leadership Benton County member and was named as one of Northwest Arkansas’ 40 Under 40 in 2004. Cyndi lives in Fayetteville with her husband, John and her two children, Jacob and Alexandria. Cyndi is very passionate about improving the lives of those in the Northwest Arkansas region and is proud to serve the vital mission of the Benton County Sunshine School.

Jayne Kuhn – Director of Human Resources

Jayne became part of the BCSS Management Team in January, 2009.  She brings over 30 years of experience in the Human Resources Profession to include Wage and Salary Administration, Recruiting, Safety, Labor Relations, Policy Administration, HRIS/Payroll, Federal and State Regulatory Compliance, Benefit Administration and Training and Development.

Her undergraduate work at Northeastern A&M focused on Business Management with a concentration in Human Resources.  She earned her Senior Professional in Human Resources Management Certification in 1999. 

Before coming to BCSS, Jayne served as Director of Human Resources for the Great Passion Play and Vice President of Human Resources for Trammel Crow Company.

Jayne has a passion for Human Resources and focuses on taking care of the customers she serves….the employees of Benton County Sunshine School.

Summer Backstrom – Development Director

Summer Backstrom became a member of the BCSS team in March 2011. She brings seven years of experience in non-profit development, publishing and research. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mass media at Henderson State University, where she was a staff writer for the campus newspaper and year book, helped establish a non-profit organization for non-traditional students and served two terms as the organization’s communications officer. Prior to coming to BCSS Summer was an advertising representative; a research assistant working to publish scholarly manuscripts for educational journals, newspapers and magazines; and then she became the Donor Support Coordinator at Reynolds Cancer Support Foundation in Fort Smith, AR. 

Jill Kleinebreil – Director of Special Programs

Jill Kleinebreil has over 20 years experience working in Early Childhood Education and has been a team member of the Benton County Sunshine School since 1993.  Jill started with BCSS in our Early Intervention program providing developmental therapy to children in their homes from birth to three years of age.  In 1994, she helped to bring the Parents as Teachers program to the Sunshine School and to Northwest Arkansas.  With her help, the program expanded to serve children from prenatal to five years of age and today has four parent educators in the program serving over 120 young children and their families all over Benton County.
In October 2006, Jill assumed the role of Preschool Administrator.  In her current duties, Jill overseas the operations of our transportation department, the nutrition program, the Parents as Teachers programs, the health services department and also the Arkansas Better Chance preschool program. 

Jill’s goals as Preschool Administrator are:
•    To provide safe transportation to and from school each day for our students.
•    Serve well-balanced meals to all the children in attendance.
•    Provide a fun learning environment for young children to thrive.
•    Educate parents on their child’s development through education and resources.
•    Meet all children’s health needs so they can learn to their greatest ability.

Jill is a certified supervising Parent Educator for children prenatal to five years of age.  She has completed course work in Early Childhood Development and Elementary Education along with general studies in California.   She is also a member of the Southern Early Childhood Association.

“Children are one third of our population and all of our future.”

Amy Palmer – Community Support Services Manager

Amy became part of the BCSS team in September 2009. She brings 11 years experience in Medicaid Waiver services. Prior to employment at BCSS, Amy served as a Medicaid Waiver Case Manager for a non-profit agency in NWA for 6 years. Preceding her position as a Case Manager, she served as a direct support professional as well as a foster home provider. Amy currently holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and plans on pursuing her Masters in the near future.