Our Mission
The Mission of the Virginia Rural Leadership Institute (VRLI) is to retain, attract, and develop rural Virginians into innovative, responsible, and civic minded leaders who build strong communities.
2023 Sessions and Dates
Session 1 - Southside Virginia
The Bee Hotel - Danville, VA
May 18, 19 & 20
Session 2 - Middle Peninsula/Northern Neck
St. Margaret's School - Tappahannock, VA
June 28, 29 & 30 (Note: Wed. - Fri.)
Session 3 - Southwest Virginia
Western Front Hotel - St. Paul, VA
September 7, 8 & 9
Session 4 - Shenandoah Valley
Hotel 24 South - Staunton, VA
November 2, 3 & 4
2023 VRLI Cohort Members
2023 Virginia Rural Leadership Institute at the Southside Session
23 of 28 Cohort Members Pictured
Meet Our 2023 Cohort!
Listed in Alphabetical Order by Last Name
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
Suffolk
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
West Piedmont Planning District Commission, Regional Programs Specialist
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
Shenandoah County Business Retention & Expansion Manager
Jamie Lynn Anderson Lindley
South Boston
Comfort Systems USA MidAtlantic, Outreach, Recruiting, & Training Manager
2022 VRLI Cohort Members at Graduation
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
Franklin County
Franklin County Director of Economic Development
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
Listed in Alphabetical Order by Last Name
Questions?
Please Contact:
Chandler Vaughan
Policy and Leadership Adviser
Virginia Rural Leadership Institute
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