2022 EAST KENTUCKY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
PIKEVILLE, KY – APPALACHIAN WIRELESS ARENA  

“CREATING DESTINATION COMMUNITIES”

EARLY SESSIONS: - THURSDAY APRIL 28TH 10:00 AM

  • INSPIRING FROM WITHIN: FEMALE LED NONPROFITS - ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION WITH WOMEN LEADING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
    MODERATOR: KAY WEBB
    DISCUSSION PARTICIPANTS: NANCY HALE (UNITE), KELLY WARD WALLEN (APPALRED), RACHEL DOTSON (DREAM CENTER), DR. MARIA BRAMAN (ARH), AND LENA BOWLING (NONPROFIT CLIENT), ROBIN IRWIN (APPALACHIAN CENTER FOR THE ARTS)

  • WHAT’S NEXT EAST KY - WHAT’S NEXT EKY?! IS A NETWORK OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS COLLABORATING TO BUILD A THRIVING ECONOMY IN EASTERN KENTUCKY. IN THIS SESSION, NETWORK MEMBERS AND PARTNERS WILL PRESENT A PROJECT CURRENTLY BEING PILOTED IN GRAYSON AND PIKEVILLE, WNEKY’S COMMUNITY ACCELERATOR. PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN ABOUT HOW LEADERS IN THESE COMMUNITIES ARE ORGANIZING AND ACTIVATING THEIR COMMUNITIES TO COLLABORATE ON PROJECTS THAT BUILD MOMENTUM FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
    PRESENTERS: DAN CLICK (DIRECTOR, THE GRAYSON GALLERY OF ART), MINDY CLICK (GRAYSON TOURISM COMMISSION), RUTHIE CALDWELL (VISION GRANTED, LLC), DONNA DANIELS (DIRECTOR, BRUSHY FORK INSTITUTE AT BEREA COLLEGE). 

INTENSIVE SESSION: THURSDAY APRIL 28TH 1:00 PM

“NEW FEDERAL RESOURCES” - INFORMATION ABOUT NEW FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT CAN SUPPORT COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS: FRIDAY APRIL 29TH

1. GOOD TOWN, GOOD PROSPECTS - FOR A LONG TIME, WE HAVE THOUGHT THAT THE BEST PATH FORWARD FOR OUR COAL TOWN ECONOMIES WAS TO STIMULATE WAYS TO SQUEEZE INTO ESTABLISHED INDUSTRY. THROUGHOUT EASTERN KENTUCKY, WE HAVE BUILT SPEC BUILDINGS FOR MANUFACTURING. WE HAVE OFFERED TAX ABATEMENT AND SUBSIDIES. WE HAVE EMPLOYED INDUSTRIAL RECRUITERS. WHAT IF THERE WAS ANOTHER WAY? WHAT IF SIMPLY CONCENTRATING ON MAKING OUR TOWNS GOOD PLACES TO LIVE IS THE KIND OF STRATEGY THAT HELPS MOST AND A KIND OF STRATEGY THAT MAKES OTHER RURAL DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS WORK BETTER? IN OUR PANEL, DEE DAVIS, PRESIDENT OF THE CENTER FOR RURAL STRATEGIES, WILL LEAD A CONVERSATION WITH ARTISTS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PRACTITIONERS BAILEY RICHARDS OF HAZARD AND PAM OLDFIELD MEADE OF WHITE OAK. IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE WHAT IS WORKING IN OUR REGION AND LOOK AT WAYS TOWNS CAN USE CREATIVITY TO IMPROVE OUR OUTLOOK.

MODERATOR: DEE DAVIS
PANELISTS: BAILEY RICHARDS AND PAM OLDFIELD MEADE

2. KENTUCKY PUBLIC HEALTH: LOOKING TO THE FUTURE - KENTUCKY’S PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL HAVE BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT OF ADDRESSING THE MANY HEALTH ISSUES OUR CITIZENS HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH OVER THE YEARS- AND MOST RECENTLY THE COVID PANDEMIC. THESE DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH A SELF-EVALUATION AND TRANSFORMATION AS THEY LOOK TO THE FUTURE. THEY ARE ASKED TO DO MORE AND MORE WITH ONLY LIMITED INCREASES IN FUNDING AND RESOURCES. IN THIS SESSION, THREE OF  EASTERN KENTUCKY’S EXPERIENCED PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTORS DISCUSS PUBLIC HEALTH IN KENTUCKY, HOW THEY SEE THEIR DEPARTMENTS CHANGING AS THEY GO INTO THE FUTURE, AND HOW YOU WILL BE AFFECTED.

 PANELIST: TAMMY RILEY (PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR, PIKE COUNTY), MARTHA ELLIS (PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR, FLOYD COUNTY), JULIE BUSH (PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR, JOHNSON COUNTY)

3. OUR ENERGY FUTURE - AS ENERGY MARKETS CONTINUES TO CHANGE, WE NEED TO ENSURE EAST KENTUCKY COMMUNITIES AND WORKERS ARE PREPARED TO BENEFIT FROM NEW CLEAN ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES. IN THIS SESSION PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN ABOUT CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS LARGE AND SMALL AND THE JOBS THESE PROJECTS CAN CREATE. PANELISTS WILL DISCUSS HOW BUSINESSES ARE SAVING MONEY FROM ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLES; HOW ONE EAST KENTUCKIAN HAS STARTED HIS OWN SOLAR INSTALLATION COMPANY; AND HOW A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR SOLAR FARM BEING BUILT IN ON A FORMER COAL MINING SITE CAN HELP GROW OUR CLEAN ENERGY WORKFORCE.

PANELISTS: BEN TATUM (OWNER, APPALACHIAN ENERGYWORKS), ADAM EDELEN (FOUNDER, EDELEN RENEWABLES),
CARRIE RAY (MOUNTAIN ASSOCIATION ENERGY PROGRAM COORDINATOR), JOSH BILLS (MOUNTAIN ASSOCIATION COMMERCIAL ENERGY SPECIALIST)

4. BUILDING CONNECTED COMMUNITIES - THIS SESSION WILL CONSIDER THE CURRENT STATE OF CONNECTIVITY AND INTERNET ACCESS ACROSS THE EASTERN KENTUCKY REGION. PANELISTS WILL DISCUSS WHERE WE ARE, WHAT IS HAPPENING TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY TO ROBUST BROADBAND AND THE ROLE ACCESS TO ADEQUATE INTERNET PLAYS IN COMMUNITY GROWTH.

MODERATOR: SCOTT SURBER
PANELISTS: RICHARD TAYLOR AND DARRELL MAYNARD

5. AFTER TREATMENT: THE RECOVERY JOURNEY - BEGINNING A NEW SOBER LIFE FREE FROM DEPENDENCE ON DRUGS AND ALCOHOL TAKES MORE THAN ACCESS TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER TREATMENT. THOSE IN RECOVERY MUST FIND MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT, SUPPORTIVE EMPLOYERS, AND A WELCOMING COMMUNITY.

MODERATOR: SANDI CURD (KY PROMISE ZONE)

PANELIST: TESA TURNER (SITE PROGRAM COORDINATOR, EKCEP), MORGAN KIRK (DIRECTOR WORKFORCE RECOVERY PROGRAM, KENTUCKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNDATION), JAMES CAUDILL (PROJECT MANAGER, FAHE)

6.  WE ARE NOW A DESTINATION - EASTERN KENTUCKY NOW HAS MANY ATTRACTIONS THAT CAN DRAW A LARGE NUMBER OF TOURISTS. THIS SESSION WILL DISCUSS HOW SOME OF THEM HAVE COME ABOUT, HOW TO DEVELOP MORE AND HOW WE SELL THEM.

MODERATOR: PAUL DOLE
PANELISTS: JERRY ADKINS, PAUL BOWLES, TONY TACKETT AND SAMANTHA WEST

*ALL INFORMATION IS TENTATIVE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE