Member Profiles
Click on an organization below for more information.
Appalshop, Inc.

Appalshop, Inc.
91 Madison Ave
Whitesburg, KY 41858
(606) 633-0108
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Beth Bingman -
bbingman@appalshop.org
Mimi Pickering -
mpickering@appalshop.org
Mark Kidd -
mark@appalshop.org
Appalshop is a non-profit multi-disciplinary arts and education center in the heart of Appalachia producing original films, video, theater, music and spoken-word recordings, radio, photography, multimedia, and books.
Center for Rural Virginia

VA Rural Center
Center for Rural Virginia
Council for Rural Virginia
2265 Kraft Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24060
(804) 371-7141
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Glen Sink -
glen.sink@cfrv.org
The primary mission of the Va Rural Center is to build networks to create and advocate for rural policy focused on issues that enhances rural competitiveness in the global economy and sustaining economic growth and prosperity for rural people.
The Center for Rural Virginia serves as a catalyst to empower local governments, to encourage continuity, coordination, and cooperation across the state and between regions, and to generate creative approaches for the purpose of the economic, social and demographic revitalization of rural Virginia, while retaining its quality of life.
The Council for Rural Virginia's mission is to improve the quality of life in the Commonwealth's rural areas by: bringing together key players in rural development, enhancing communication among partners, groups and individuals, encouraging collaborative and cooperative partnerships to work toward the delivery of more effective, efficient services to citizens that live and work in Rural Virginia.
Council for Rural Virginia
Community Access, Inc.

Community Access, Inc.
PO Box 8885
South Charleston, WV 25303
(304) 545-1483
Jeff McCroskey -
jeffmccroskey@netscape.net
Martha Minter -
mlm420@aol.com
Community Access, Inc. develops innovative programs that bridge educational, employment, and other systems in order to achieve better outcomes and full inclusion for the people we serve.
Community Foundation of Hazard & Perry County

Community Foundation of Hazard & Perry County
P. O. Box 310
Chavies, KY 41727
(606) 439-1357
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Gerry Roll -
gerry@commfoundation.org
The mission of the Community Foundation of Hazard and Perry County is to support collaborative work in our community around a common vision that enhances the lives of all our citizens and to create a permanent endowment to serve as a catalyst and resource to respond to changing community priorities.
Garrett County Community Action Committee, Inc.
Garrett County Community Action Committee, Inc.
104 East Center Street
Oakland, MD 21550
(301) 334-9431
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Beverly Beard -
bjbeard@verizon.net
Duane Yoder �
dyoder@garrettcac.org
The mission of Garrett County Community Action Committee, Inc. is to enable persons in need to improve their quality of life by assisting them to be more economically self sufficient through partnerships and providing essential services.
Good News Mountaineer Garage

Good News Mountaineer Garage
221 1/2 Hale Street
Charleston, WV 25301
(304) 344-8445
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Barbara Bayes -
Goodnews.barbara@verizon.net
Rev. Dennis Sparks -
dsparks@wvcc.org
The mission of Good News Mountaineer Garage is to solicit donated vehicles, repair them and provide them to families or individuals with low incomes so they can get to work or training throughout West Virginia.
Hazard Perry County Community Ministries, Inc.
Hazard Perry County Community Ministries, Inc.
151 Miss Edna Lane
Hazard, KY 41701
(606) 487-1891
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Adrienne S. Bush -
abush@hpccm.org
Jennifer Weeber -
jennifer@hpccm.org
The mission of Hazard Perry County Community Ministries, Inc. is to respond actively to unmet needs of individuals and families by working in partnership with churches, agencies and individuals interested in the social welfare of the community.
Highlander Center

Highlander Center
1959 Highlander Way
New Market, TN 37820
(662) 312-5830
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Susan Williams �
susan@highlandercenter.org
Elandria Williams -
Elandria@highlandercenter.org
Highlander supports social justice efforts in the south and Appalachia. We use our farm (about 180 acres, with a workshop center) and our methods (popular education, cultural organizing, multilingual capacity building and participatory research) to support groups working on economic, racial, environmental and social justice issues. Highlander believes that people directly affected by issues should be in leadership to help figure out how to solve those issues.
Ohio Appalachian Educators Institute (OAEI)

Ohio Appalachian Educators Institute (OAEI)
Building 21, The Ridges
Athens, OH 45701
(740) 597-1702
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Marsha Lewis -
lewism5@ohio.edu
Robert D. Gordon, CPM -
gordonr1@ohio.edu
By supporting leadership development in school systems, creating learning communities, and facilitating collaborative relationships between unions and district management, the OAEI has demonstrated that it has an effective model for change and school improvement. By promoting leadership at all levels of the educational system and providing the infrastructure for districts to begin to make systemic changes, OAEI supports change that is sustainable over time.
Ohio University Voinovich School of Leadership & Public Affairs

Ohio University Voinovich School of Leadership & Public Affairs
Building 22, The Ridges
Athens, OH 45701
(740) 593-9564
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Robin Stewart -
stewarr7@ohio.edu
Joe Flynn -
flynn@wesbanco.com
The Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs builds on the scholarship of Ohio University, engaging students, faculty, and professional staff to help make a difference in Appalachian Ohio and the state. The School uses multidisciplinary project teams to help business, nonprofit & government partners in three core areas: strengthening Public Service and Leadership, promoting the Environment and Sustainable Energy, and growing Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness in the region.
Partnership of African American Churches

Partnership of African American Churches
PO Box 452
Institute, WV 25112
(304) 768-7688
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Wendy Lewis -
wmoore155@aol.com
Rev. James Patterson -
patterson@paac2.org
The mission of PAAC is to work together to empower the African-American community to transform values and improve the quality of life through education, health promotion, economic development, and crime prevention. The strategic purpose of PAAC is to identify and partner with African American Churches in order to build a network that will positively impact African Americans in West Virginia through health promotion, economic development, education, and crime prevention.
People Incorporated

People Incorporated
1173 West Main Street
Abingdon, VA 24210
(276) 623-9000
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Rob Goldsmith -
rgoldsmith@peopleinc.net
Bryan Phipps -
bphipps@peopleinc.net
The mission of People Incorporated is to provide opportunities for people to reach their goals in order to enhance their lives, their families and their communities.
Rural Action, Inc.

Rural Action, Inc.
PO Box 157
Trimble, OH 45782
(740) 767-4938
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Michelle Decker -
michelle@ruralaction.org
Susi Rankis -
susi@ruralaction.org
Robin Kinney -
robinkinney@CORE.COM
Rural Action�s mission is to foster social, economic, and environmental justice in Appalachian Ohio. To that end, we build model sustainable development projects and encourage a broad civic conversation around Appalachian Ohio�s assets in order to create sustainable development paths for the region.
Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College

Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College
700 College Road
Cumberland, KY 40823
(606) 589-2275
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Roy Silver -
roy.silver@kctcs.edu
Melissa Helton -
MHELTON0049@KCTCS.EDU
Founded in 1960, Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College is a public, comprehensive community and technical college under the governance of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS).
VA Rural Center
Virginia Rural Health Association

Virginia Rural Health Association
2265 Kraft Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24060
(540) 231-7923
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Beth O'Connor -
boconnor@vcom.vt.edu
The Virginia Rural Health Association (VRHA) is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization comprised of a diverse group of individuals from communities spread across Virginia: individuals that care about improving the health of Virginia's rural residents. VRHA members provide care, plan for the delivery of care, and are consumers of health care services. They are individuals and families who desire and need high quality health services close to home.
Virginia Rural Health Resource Center

Virginia Rural Health Resource Center
2265 Kraft Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24060
(540) 231-7923
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Beth O'Connor -
boconnor@vcom.vt.edu
The mission of the Virginia Rural Health Resource Center is to serve as a resource for communities and organizations seeking to improve the health status of persons in rural Virginia.
WV Community Development Hub

WV Community Development Hub
301 Water St.
Stonewood, WV 26301
(304) 566-7332
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Herk Conner -
h.conner@wvhub.org
Marie Walker -
mwalker@WVCCC.COM
The purpose of the West Virginia Community Development Hub, Inc. is to support communities in
West Virginia in their efforts to experience purposeful, self-directed development respectful of local
Culture and values.
Affiliate Members:
Connect Ohio

Connect Ohio
51 Jefferson Avenue
Suite 100
Columbus, Ohio 43215
www.connectohio.org
Stu Johnson �
sjohnson@connectohio.org
Connect Ohio, a division of Connected Nation, is a leading technology organization committed to bringing affordable highspeed Internet and broadband-enabled resources to all Ohioans. Connect Ohio raises awareness of the value of broadband and works to improve technology access, adoption, and use. Connect Ohio is a nonprofit, technology-neutral public-private partnership.
WV Center on Budget and Policy

WV Center on Budget and Policy
The Union Building
723 Kanawha Blvd E, Ste 300
Charleston, WV 25301-2727
www.wvpolicy.org
Ted Boettner -
tboettner@wvpolicy.org
The West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy is a policy research organization that is nonpartisan, nonprofit, and
statewide. The Center's research and analysis is designed to
support informed public dialog and policy in West Virginia.
Individual Members:
Carl Mitchell
Kimber Simmons
Paul Miller