2024 VRLI Alumni
Photo Coming Soon!
2024 Virginia Rural Leadership Institute at Graduation
25 of 28 Cohort Members Pictured
Listed in Alphabetical Order by Last Name
Read the Press Release Announcing the 2024 Cohort's Graduation
---
Learn More about the 2024 Cohort's Community Impact Projects
Shanetta Beck, City of Emporia
Community and Economic Development Director, City of Emporia
Lincoln Boykin, Lancaster County
Director of Affiliate Foundations, Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond
Jonathan Comer, Page County
SVP - Commercial Lender, The First Bank & Trust Company
J. David Conmy, City of Richmond
Deputy County Administrator & Economic Development Director, Sussex County
Michael Crouse, Roanoke County
Business Development Manager, ECS, Mid-Atlantic
Matthew Culbreath, Dinwiddie
Director of Planning and Zoning, City of Emporia
Brian Falin, Wise County
Industrial Development Supervisor/Executive Director, Wise County
Heather Fay, Botetourt County
Business Advisor + Regional Program Director, Greater Roanoke & NRV Small Business Development Center
Brandy Flint, Rockbridge County
Director of Economic Development, Rockbridge County
Andrew Franzyshen, Dinwiddie County
Director of Environment, Housing, and Economic Development, Crater Planning
District Commission
Ian Ginger, City of Richmond
Economic Development Program Director, George Washington Regional Commission
Gerald Goad, Hillsville
Clerk of the Circuit Court, Carroll County
Jess Gray, Chatham
CEO, Gray’s Lambscaping LLC
Matt Herron, Christiansburg
Business Development Manager, Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services
James Houchins, Patrick County
Director of Tourism and Marketing, Patrick County
Katelyn Jordan, Pungo
Local & State Advocacy Specialist, Regulatory Coordinator, Virginia Farm Bureau
Kellie Lipscomb, Dinwiddie
Drug Abuse Treatment Specialist, Federal Correctional Institution
Brooke Love, Carroll County
Tourism Director, Carroll County
Jacob McCaleb, Warsaw
Business Services Representative, Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board
Stephanie Norris, City of Richmond
Senior Research Analyst, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Kristen Pudlow, Prince George County
Deputy County Administrator, Prince George County
Holley Scheffel, Bedford County
Business Programs Coordinator, Bedford County
Giles Scott, Warsaw
Youth Program Influencer, Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board
Jennifer Stevens, South Boston
President and CEO, Virginia Ed Strategies
Josh Taylor, Alleghany
Executive Director, Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
Tara Tuck, Clarksville
Economic Development & Tourism, Town of Clarksville
Jack Wall, Floyd
Board Chair & Senior Executive, Wall Residences
Zachary Whitlow, City of Richmond
Community Vitality Program Administrator, Department of Housing & Community Development
2023 VRLI Alumni
.jpg)
2023 Virginia Rural Leadership Institute at Graduation
24 of 28 Cohort Members Pictured
Listed in Alphabetical Order by Last Name
Read the Press Release Announcing the 2023 Cohort's Graduation
---
Learn More about the 2023 Cohort's Community Impact Projects
John Patrick Clair
Marion
Town of Marion, Chief of Police
Donna J. Dagner
Victoria
Community Resources Services, Executive Director
Jackie Davis
Farnham
Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board, Executive Director
Jessica K. Drake
Williamsburg
Filanthropie Consultancy, Founder & Principal
Jarrod Elwell
Doswell
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Community Development Regional Manager
Todd Fortune
Farmville
Commonwealth Regional Council, Deputy Director
Olivia Garrett
Henry County
New College Institute, Director of Institutional Advancement
Josh Gillespie
Louisa County
County of Louisa, Director of Community Development
Courtney L. Harper
South Hill
Building Blocks to Success, LLC, CEO and Occupational Therapist
Darren Hayes
Freeman
Spotts Fain Consulting, Government Relations Assistant
Tabitha Hodge
Christiansburg
Floyd County Economic Development Operations Director
William Johnson, III
Emporia
City of Emporia, City Manager
Stephanie Lillard
Luray
People, Inc., Director of Community Economic Development
Jamie Lynn Anderson Lindley
South Boston
Comfort Systems USA MidAtlantic, Outreach, Recruiting, & Training Manager
Vanesa Livingstone
Warsaw
Richmond County Department of Social Services Director
Craig McCroskey
Bassett
United Way of Henry County & Martinsville, Director of Financial Stability Programs
Angela McPhaul
Waverly
Town of Waverly Mayor
Nick Minor
King George County
King George County Director of Economic Development
Alex Rendon
Henrico County
Dominion Energy, External Affairs Representative
AJ Robinson
Tazewell County
Tazewell County Director of Communications and Tourism
Jennifer Schmack
Fluvanna County
Fluvanna County Director of Economic Development
Beth Simms
Patrick County
Patrick County, County Administrator
Kim Smith
Russell County
Heart of Appalachia, Interim Executive Director
Joe Sumner
Martinsville
New College Institute, Executive Director
Rhett Weiss
Farmville
DEALTEK, Ltd, Chairman & CEO
Alex White
Luray
Town of Luray Councilman
Kendra Wood
Aylett
Rappahannock Community College, Dean of Strategic Enrollment Management
Dr. Terrence M. Wood
Greensville County
Greensville County Director of Human Resources
2022 VRLI Alumni
2022 VRLI Cohort Members & Virginia Rural Center Board Members at Graduation
Listed in Alphabetical Order by Last Name
Richelle Alexander
Lexington, VA
Rockbridge Area Housing Corporation, Assistant Property Manager
Luke Allison
Pulaski County, VA
Aggregate Capital LLC, Project Manager
Garrett Blaize
Wise County, VA
Appalachian Community Fund, Grants Manager and Regional Organizer
Neva Bryan
St. Paul, VA
University of Virginia's College at Wise (UVA Wise), Senior Director of Academic Enhancement & Coordinator of National Awards and Fellowships
Rebekah Castle
Augusta County, VA
Augusta County, Director of Economic Development and Marketing
James Clements
Prince George County, VA
University of Richmond, Full-Time MBA Student
Stacey English
Hopewell, VA
Prince George County, Interim Economic Development and Tourism Director
Jenna French
Shenandoah County, VA
Shenandoah County, Director of Tourism & Economic Development
Jessi Fritz, MBA
Abingdon, VA
Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Regional Business Manager (Talent Solutions)
Lydia Gilmer
Pulaski County, VA
Pulaski County, VA, Small Business Solutions Manager (Economic Development)
Shannon Hair, Ed.D
Danville, VA
Danville Community College, VP of Institutional Advancement & Development/Executive Director of DCC Educational Foundation, Inc.
Debbie Irwin
Staunton, VA
Shenandoah Community Capital Fund, Executive Director
Michelle Johnson
Charles City County, VA
Charles City County, County Administrator
Lisa Jordan, Ph.D
South Hill, VA
Southside Virginia Community College, Professor - History and Political Science, Coordinator - Campus Within Walls
Zachary King
Harrisonburg, VA
Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative LLC, Sales Associate & Business Analyst
Lachanda Lee
Dinwiddie County, VA
Dinwiddie County, Director for Human Resources
Maggie Beal Longest, M.S.
Ashland, VA
Downtown Ashland Association, Executive Director
John Matthews
Wytheville, VA
Joint Industrial Development Authority of Wythe County, Deputy Director
Joseph Mengedoth, M.S.
Henrico County, VA
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Regional Economist
Allison Moore
Pittsylvania County, VA
Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, Manager of Public Relations & Communications
Hope Mothershead
Richmond County, VA
Richmond County, VA, Director of Planning and Zoning
Julia Pilipenko
Augusta County, VA
Dominion Energy, External Affairs Representative
French Price
Woodstock, VA
Virginia Cooperative Extension, Value Chain Coordinator
Billie Roberts
Bluefield, VA
Virginia Community Capital, Community Innovation Advisor
Joy Rumley
Abingdon, VA
New River Valley Regional Commission, Senior Planner
Logan Ryan
Mechanicsville, VA
Covintus, Inc., Director of Community Engagement
Lauren Stuhldreher
North Chesterfield
VA - U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, Economic Development Representative for Virginia
Wendy Welch, Ph.D
Wythe County, VA
Graduate Medical Education Consortium of SWVA, Executive Director
James Werth, Ph.D
Bristol, VA
Tri-Area Community Health, CEO