Communications Welcomes Staff

John Steele Cooper, Omar González Villaseñor Join Team

John Steele Cooper

John Steele Cooper began Aug. 29 as the Springdale Public Schools assistant communications director.

Steele Cooper comes to the district after serving for four years as the managing producer of video production at the University of Arkansas.

“I hope to bring my years of experience in video production and apply them to the Communications department, as well as my experience working in higher education communications leadership and content creation,” Steele Cooper said.

Steele Cooper also worked as a grip and videographer at Ozark Film and Video from 2005-2008 and as a video production specialist at the University of Arkansas from 2008-2017.

Steele Cooper replaced Travis Sherman, who now works for Walmart.

He has a bachelor's in communication from the University of the Ozarks and a master’s in journalism from the University of Arkansas.

Steele Cooper won Gold and Silver Telly Awards in 2019 for the documentary short film "Buen Camino," a Study Abroad film about UofA Honors students doing the Buen Camino Pilgrimage. He was also recognized as having the Best Feature Film at the Arkansas Film Festival in 2022 for "If This Walk Could Talk," a film commemorating the 150th anniversary of UofA.

Steele Cooper, 41, was born in Hot Springs and has lived in Minnesota, Ohio, California, Mississippi and Georgia. He moved to Northwest Arkansas in 2002 and has lived in Farmington for 15 years.

He said he’s looking forward to working for Springdale Public Schools.

Steele Cooper has been married to his wife, Kelsey Steele Cooper, for six years. The couple has a 3-year-old daughter named Allie Rose.

Omar González Villaseñor

Omar González Villaseñor joined the communications team July 11 as a multimedia specialist.

He said he feels blessed for the opportunity to continue to work in multimedia production.

“My father told me, ‘In your life, you must to do good and correct things and share love, compassion and gratitude with people. Then you just have to wait for the best things to happen in your life,'" González Villaseñor said. "I believe it, and that is part of my philosophy.”

González Villaseñor, 44, comes to the Communications Office after serving as the lab manager at George Elementary School from 2020-2022.

He said he hopes to bring his experience, passion, determination and storytelling knowledge to Springdale families, staff and schools as a multimedia specialist.

González Villaseñor is replacing Mike Day, who moved on to work for J.B. Hunt.

González Villaseñor has worked in video and multimedia production for 19 years and previously worked as a communication advisor for the State Commission for the Victims of Crime Attention for the Michoacán, México state government from 2018–2019 and the Head of Information and Multimedia Design of the Commission for Security and Integral Development for Michoacán from 2014–2017.

He was also the Captura Visual co-founder, video producer, multimedia designer, editor, aerial and ground filmmaker and photographer of work advances for specialized construction, corporate design memories and executive presentations from 2008–2012. He likewise served as the video producer and multimedia designer for the Indigenous Video Center of the National Indigenous Institute in Mexico from 2000-2008.

González Villaseñor has a masters’ in film direction from the Mexican National Film School in Conaculta, Mexico, and a bachelor’s in communication sciences from Vasco University of Quiroga in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.

He is currently furthering his education in English by taking classes through the NorthWest Arkansas Community College Adult Education Center.

González Villaseñor has received almost one dozen professional awards, to include Winner of the Mexico Culture Contest for Harmony for the documentary “De Sangre Guerrera” in 2014-2015 and Winning Script for the first Michoacán México state competition as director of the short film "La Mala Muerte" in 2014.

He lives in Springdale and is originally from Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.

González Villaseñor married his love of 11 years, Mary Carmen Ponce Tellez, in 2017. They have three children, Diego Rivera, 21, Dario, 12, and David, 8. David attends George Elementary School, and Dario is a student at Don Tyson School of Innovation.

He said he’s grateful for the support of his family and the trust of his wife as he enters into his new position with Springdale Schools.

González Villaseñor serves the community by helping with the design and development for Project Frame by Frame with First Tee — Northwest Arkansas, which focuses on creating alternatives for children inspired to participate in the learning audiovisual techniques and seeking resources to explore their abilities to work in teams and respond to the communication needs within a multicultural community. He previously served as a voluntary facilitator for the George Elementary School Education Accelerated by Service and Technology program from 2019-2021.