EAST KENTUCKY LEADERSHIP VIRTUAL

CONFERENCE SUCCESS

THE FIRST EVER VIRTUAL EAST KENTUCKY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE WAS A SUCCESS! MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE CONFERENCE THROUGH THE VIRTUAL PLATFORM “HOPIN.” THE EAST KENTUCKY LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION CONVENES THIS CONFERENCE EACH APRIL TO FOCUS ON HELPING EASTERN KENTUCKY LEADERS WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE A UNIFIED FRONT IN BATTLING THE REGION’S HISTORIC CHALLENGES – THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE CONFERENCE HAS BEEN HELD IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT.

THE CONFERENCE THEME WAS “BRIGHT LIGHTS IN DARK TIMES”.  THE EVENT FOCUSED ON AMAZING HAPPENINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES OCCURRING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AS WELL AS EASTERN KENTUCKIANS’ REMARKABLE RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC. KENTUCKY GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR DELIVERED THE KEYNOTE ADDRESS FOR THE EVENT.

THE CONFERENCE FEATURED SESSIONS RELATING TO THE CONFERENCE THEME. SESSION TOPICS INCLUDED: “DIGITAL DIVIDE,” “RESOURCES TO RISE AGAIN,” “HEALTHCARE AND THE PANDEMIC,” AND “GETTING EAST KENTUCKY BACK TO WORK: REMOVING BARRIERS TO UNEMPLOYMENT.” IN ADDITION TO THE BREAKOUT SESSIONS, THE CONFERENCE FEATURED AN INTENSIVE SESSION ON “BRIDGING THE DIVIDE: CONNECTING RURAL AND URBAN.”  THE INTENSIVE SESSION LOOKED AT THE URBAN/RURAL DIVIDE, DISCUSSED WAYS TO BRIDGE THE DIVIDE, AND HOPE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

THE 2021 CONFERENCE ALSO HONORED THOSE WHO HAVE STEPPED UP FOR THE COMMUNITY DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS. FIRST RESPONDERS, HEALTH CARE WORKERS, COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, AND GOOD NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN GOING THE EXTRA MILE TO HELP, CHECK ON NEIGHBORS, AND MAKE THE EFFORT TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. YOU CAN VIEW VIDEOS OF ALL OF THE AWARD WINNERS ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

“THE EAST KENTUCKY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE IS A GREAT PLACE FOR PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE TO COME TOGETHER TO LEARN ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSUES IN THE REGION, SHARE THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVES AND HELP THINK ABOUT SOLUTIONS,” SAID PETER HILLE, EKLF CHAIR AND PRESIDENT OF THE MOUNTAIN ASSOCIATION. “WE ARE THRILLED THE VIRTUAL CONFERENCE WAS A SUCCESS, BUT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING BACK IN PERSON NEXT YEAR.”

THE EAST KENTUCKY LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION BOARD WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR PARTNER SHAPING OUR APPALACHIAN REGION (SOAR) FOR THEIR TECHNICAL SUPPORT OF THE CONFERENCE. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR PARTNER WYMT-TV FOR THEIR COVERAGE OF THE EVENT, AND THE AWARD WINNER VIDEOS.

 MORE 2022 CONFERENCE DETAILS COMING SOON!