Joshua Ball

Joshua Ball is the Associate Executive Director of Shaping Our Appalachian Region, Inc. (SOAR).  SOAR is a non-profit that works across Appalachia Kentucky (54 counties) promoting community and economic development through collaboration and innovation.  Joshua unequivocally believes there is a future in Appalachia and the work of SOAR and its partners are vital in building a 21st Century Appalachia where hope, promise, opportunity and prosperity are endless.

Prior to coming to SOAR, Joshua served as Director of Strategic Communications at Big Sandy Community and Technical College.  Working under the direction of the President/CEO, he was responsible for the college’s public relations and marketing efforts, web services, grants/sponsored projects, institutional advancement, and the Big Sandy College Educational Foundation, Inc.  He has vast experience in higher education and workforce development.  In 2010, he became the Director of the Eastern Kentucky Distance Learning Initiative which later evolved into Kentucky Teleworks (currently called Teleworks USA).  He also served as Director of Public Relations and Marketing at Pikeville Medical Center, as well as Managing Editor of its newspaper, the Medical Leader.

A graduate of Morehead State University, Joshua is finishing his master’s degree in Adult and Higher Education from Morehead State University.  He is also a graduate of the Leadership Kentucky program (2010) and was named Young Professional of the Year by the Young Professionals of Eastern Kentucky in 2011.  He has won numerous awards for his writing and photography by the Kentucky Press Association, West Virginia Press Association and the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations.

Joshua resides in Johnson County with his wife, Tammy, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, who serves as a Division Chair and Professor of Human Services at Big Sandy Community and Technical College.