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Rural Investment Collaborative Leadership Team

Community Development Team


Our Community Development team provides leadership for the Rural Investment Collaborative™. The Richmond Fed's work with small towns and rural communities is part of its commitment to address economic challenges in underserved areas, particularly in low-and moderate-income neighborhoods. Jason Smith is the Bank's lead advisor for the Collaborative.

Carrie Cook, Community Affairs Officer
Vice President and Community Affairs Officer
Jason Smith, Senior Community Development Advisor
Senior Community Development Advisor
Community Development Regional Manager Erika Bell
Community Development Regional Manager
Community Development Regional Manager Peter Dolkart
Maryland and West Virginia
headshot of Jarrod Elwell
Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Shannon Sansone
Shannon Sansone
Rural Investment Collaborative Project Manager

Steering Group


The Rural Investment Collaborative™ steering group includes state and national leaders from rural intermediaries, businesses, nonprofits, philanthropy and the public sector. They provide expertise on rural capital access, manage resource development and select communities for training, technical assistance and other resources. They also engage in existing national, state and local investment activities to coordinate efforts for impact. Jason Smith and Erika Bell provide strategic support for these endeavors.

 

Maryland


Davis
Charlotte L. Davis
Executive Director
Rural Maryland Council

North Carolina


Dawson
Brandy B. Dawson
Senior Program Director
MDC
Patrick Woodie
Patrick Woodie
President & CEO
NC Rural Center

Virginia


Staton
Travis Staton
President & CEO
United Way of Southwest Virginia, Inc.

West Virginia


Obiozor
Kalyn Obiozor
Community Coach
West Virginia Community Development Hub

Project Development Workgroup


The Rural Investment Collaborative™ project development workgroup works to ensure that communities are ready to seek investments for local projects. The workgroup provides leaders of small towns and rural communities with information on training and technical assistance opportunities to help build their capacity to develop and submit winning project proposals. The workgroup includes leaders from rural intermediaries, businesses and nonprofits, philanthropic organizations and the public sector. Peter Dolkart provides strategic support for these efforts.

Maryland


D'Arcy
Megan D’Arcy
Program Administrator
Maryland Rural Council

North Carolina


Stacy J Guffey
Stacy J. Guffey
Senior Program Manager for Western North Carolina
NCGrowth, UNC Chapel Hill Vice Mayor, Town of Franklin

South Carolina


Boulware
Jenny Boulware
Manager & State Coordinator
Municipal Association of SC

Virginia


Holbrook
Mary Anne Holbrook
Vice President of Community Impact
United Way of Southwest Virginia

West Virginia


Hudson
Jennifer Hudson
Development Director
Williamson Health and Wellness Center West Virginia
Obiozor
Kalyn Obiozor
Community Coach
West Virginia Community Development Hub

Capital Development Workgroup


The Rural Investment Collaborative™ capital development workgroup works to ensure that funding organizations are ready to invest in small towns and rural communities. The workgroup conducts research and develops resources to help capital providers understand how to invest in small towns and rural communities individually and through better alignment of capital sources. The workgroup includes leaders from philanthropic foundations, public policy researchers, and nonprofits that help rural communities navigate different funding types. Jarrod Elwell provides strategic support for these efforts.

Maryland


Ann Lichter
Ann Lichter
Director
Resource Rural
Anthony F. Pipa
Tony Pipa
Senior Fellow
The Brookings Institution

North Carolina


Kathryn Coulter Rhodes
Kathryn Coulter Rhodes
Partner
Rural Support Partners
Andrew Crosson
Andrew Crosson
Chief Executive Officer
Invest Appalachia
Deb Markley
Deb Markley
Executive Director, Community & Sector Partnerships
Locus
Sarah Thompson
Sarah Thompson
Director of Impact
Dogwood Health Trust

Virginia


Kate Keller
Kate Keller
President
Harvest Foundation

West Virginia


Jen Giovannitti
Jen Giovannitti
President
The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation

Rural Investment Collaborative Partners


The Rural Investment CollaborativeTM is led by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond in collaboration with several core partners.

The Richmond Fed does not fund or otherwise award grants, participate in the selection of grantees or selection of communities receiving training or technical assistance. 
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