Five West Virginians Join Regional Leadership Class
Business owners working with regional development partners gain a new network of Appalachian practitioners through the 2026-2027 Institute.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in People
The Appalachian Regional Commission has selected five West Virginians for the 2026-2027 Appalachian Leadership Institute, an eight-month program running October through June that is drawn from a competitive application process. The class includes 40 leaders from the region's 13 states.
Why it matters
The Institute is designed to build leadership capacity around the economic development challenges, opportunities and strategies facing the region, which matters for operators working with regional development partners, lenders, planners and rural program administrators in West Virginia. Selection of fellows from a range of professional roles signals where regional development expertise is concentrated.
The 2026-2027 class totals 40 leaders from the region's 13 states, and West Virginia contributes five of those fellows. The eight-month program runs from October through June and includes six skill-building seminars and field visits across Appalachia.
The players
Appalachian Regional Commission
A federal-state partnership agency that funds and coordinates economic development programs across the Appalachian region.
Bradley Harris Strategic Advisory
A strategic advisory firm founded by Bradley Harris, one of the West Virginia fellows.
Kingery & Company
A Charleston-based organization led by founder and president Tricia Kingery, which supports mission-driven organizations.
Thompson & Litton
A Princeton-based firm where Courtney Neese serves as client service manager and funding specialist.
USDA Rural Development
The U.S. Department of Agriculture unit that funds and supports rural business and community development, with a West Virginia office in Morgantown where Kayleigh Kyle is a senior community liaison.
The details
Fellows were chosen through a competitive application process meant to reflect the region's economic development challenges, opportunities and strategies. Over the course of the program they take part in six skill-building seminars and field visits across Appalachia, giving participants a shared network across the 13 states. The West Virginia cohort spans private advisory work, nonprofit and financial services, university brownfields work, and federal rural development outreach.
Timeline
October 2026: Appalachian Leadership Institute begins for the 2026-2027 fellows.
June 2027: Appalachian Leadership Institute concludes.
Market Landscape
The Appalachian Regional Commission runs the Institute as part of its long-standing work with states across the region on economic development. The 2026-2027 class is a continuation of that approach, placing practitioners from advisory, financial, university and federal rural roles into a shared leadership track.
Operators working with regional development partners should note that West Virginia now has five fellows in a shared Appalachian leadership network that may become a useful contact point for economic development projects. Business owners seeking grant, planning or rural-program support should consider which of these practitioners' organizations already serve their sector.
The takeaway
Regional leadership networks like this one can expand access to advisors, funders and planners who understand Appalachian markets. Operators should track which fellows' firms and agencies are active in their county and consider reaching out to them when evaluating expansion, financing or rural development options.
Further reading
For more on the professionals shaping regional growth, see People in our business coverage.
