WHO: Dr. Basil Gooden, Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development; Ryan Thorn, West Virginia State Director, USDA Rural Development; Lee Jones, Executive Director, Rural Partners Network (RPN), USDA Rural Development; Dilawar Syed, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration; Robert Shafer, Mayor, city of Summersville; Stephanie Tyree, Executive Director, WV Community Development Hub; David Hutchison, Vice President Government Relations, Glenville State University; Federal agency staff; State and Local stakeholders; and Members of the media.
WHAT: State Director Ryan Thorn will join Under Secretary Gooden, RPN Executive Director Lee Jones, local, state and federal officials, non-profits, philanthropic organizations, service providers, and representatives from West Virginia’s RPN communities to network and discuss community project successes, best practices, funding opportunities and more.
The morning agendas are included below for your reference.
Pictures and video will be permitted throughout the event in the designated media location. There will be an opportunity for interviews following the “Federal Partners in RPN” panel which is scheduled to conclude at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 4.
WHERE: Summersville Arena and Conference Center
3 Armory Way, Summersville, WV 26651
WHEN: Tuesday, June 4 at 9:00 a.m. and Wednesday, June 5 at 9:30 a.m.
WHY: USDA Rural Development is a committed partner in creating economic development opportunities and improving the quality of life for rural West Virginia communities. This forum is just one example of the agency’s commitment to help improve access to federal resources for rural West Virginians.
2nd Annual WV Rural Partners Network Federal Partners Forum
Summersville Arena and Conference Center
Summersville, WV
Day 1 AM – Tuesday, June 4, 2024
9:00 am – Opening Plenary
· Robert Shafer, Mayor, City of Summersville
· Ryan Thorn, WV State Director, USDA Rural Development
· Lee Jones, Executive Director, USDA Rural Development
9:55 am – WV Rural Partners Network: Year in Review and Looking Ahead
· Kayleigh Kyle, Senior Community Liaison, USDA Rural Development
· Stephanie Tyree, Executive Director, WV Community Development Hub
· David Hutchison, Vice President Government Relations, Glenville State University
10:15 am – Federal Partners in RPN: Success Stories of Rural-Specific Programming
A panel discussion on rural-specific programming and RPN successes.
· Brian Anderson, Senior Advisor on Energy Communities, Executive Director of the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization, U.S. Department of Energy
· Matthew Heckles, Regional Administrator, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Region 3
· Brandon McBride, Executive Director, Appalachian Regional Commission
· Veronica P. McBeth, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Transportation Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation
· Adam Ortiz, Regional Administrator, Region 3, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Moderator – Lee Jones, Executive Director, Rural Partners Network, USDA Rural Development
11:30 am – Media Availability
11:45 am – Lunch
Day 2 AM – Wednesday, June 5, 2024
9:30 am – Welcome & Announcements
9:40 am – Opening Speaker: Dilawar Syed, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration
10:00 am – Investing in Rural America: Projects Made Possible by Federal Funding
An interactive discussion between organizations that have successfully received and implemented/are implementing federal awards.
· Dave Clark – Executive Director, Woodlands Development Corporation
· Judy Moore – Deputy Director, New River Gorge Regional Development Authority
· Amanda Workman-Scott – Director of Community Engagement, WV Community Development Hub
· Sara Payne – Associate Vice President of Government Relations, Marshall University
· Dural Miller – Founder & CEO, Keep Your Faith Organization
Moderator – Will McIntee, Director of Strategic Engagement, The White House
11:30 am – Thriving Communities Network: What It Is and What It Means for WV
A panel discussion between Federal partners and technical assistance providers in the Thriving Communities Network.
- Lily Ballengee, Rural Transportation Specialist, Office of the Under Secretary for Transportation Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation
- Renato Castillo, Environmental Justice Coordinator, West Virginia State University Extension Service (EJ Region 3 TCTAC awardee)
- Jason Roberts, Executive Director, Region 1 Planning and Development Council (EDA Economic Recovery Corps awardee)
- John Tuggle, Executive Director, Region 4 Planning and Development Council, Co-Director, Raleigh-Fayette Metropolitan Planning Organization (Thriving Communities Program Awardee)
- Marisa Valdez, Special Advisor for Implementation, Program Manager, Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Moderator – Christine Sorensen, Lead of Engagement, Rural Partners Network, USDA Rural Development
12:30 pm – Lunch
1:15 pm – Keynote Speaker: Dr. Basil Gooden, Under Secretary, USDA Rural Development