3rd Annual Appalachia Forward

TOPIC 

SPEAKERS 

EASTERN TIME 

Registration and Networking  

9:00 a.m. 

Introductions 

Amista Lipot, Director, External Relations, Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, Ohio University and Executive Director, Mayors’ Partnership for Progress

Dr. Paul F. Gasparro, President, Belmont Community College

9:30 a.m. 

Remarks from Special Guests  

Lydia Mihalik, Director, Ohio Department of Development

Gayle Manchin, Federal Co-Chair, Appalachian Regional Commission

Brian Anderson, Executive Director, IWG

9:40 a.m.  

Federal Agency Panel 

Moderator: Briggs White, Deputy Executive Director, IWG

US Department of Agriculture: 
Jonathan McCracken, State Director for Ohio

Environmental  Protection Agency: 
Jon Grosshans, Senior Advisor, EPA Office of Policy

Economic Development Administration: 
Ellen Heinz – Economic Development Representative – Ohio

10:00 a.m. 

Interagency Working Group Roundtable “Speed Networking” for communities  

Visit with the various Agencies from the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities & Economic Revitalization (IWG) during a speed network roundtable including:

Appalachian Regional Commission

Belmont County

Department of Agriculture – tentative

Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Department of Energy

Department of Interior – tentative

Department of Health and Human Services  – tentative

Department of Labor – tentative

Department of Transportation

Economic Development Administration

Environmental Protection Agency

IWG

10:45 a.m.  

Lunch Break / Networking  

Craig Buerstatte, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Affairs, U.S. Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

12:00 p.m. 

Appalachian Community Grant Program, Lessons Learned – Round I Implementation  

Getting ready for 2023 submissions, lessons learned to date

At Work in Appalachia: 
Steve Patterson, City of Athens Mayor

Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA): 
Jessie Powers, Executive Director

Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program and New Leaf Justice Enterprises: 
Jennifer Siefert, Executive Director

Utica Shale Academy: 
William Watson, Superintendent

12:45 p.m. 

GIS Collaborative Announcement 

Matt Trainer, Senior GIS Project Manager, Voinovich Schoo

1:45 p.m. 

Local Development Districts 

Moderator: John Carey, Director, Governor’s Office of Appalachia

Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission: 
John Hemmings, Executive Director

Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association: 
Jeannette Wierzbicki, Executive Director

Eastgate Regional Council of Governments: 
Kathy Zook, ARC Program Manager

Buckeye Hills Regional Council: 
Chasity Schmelzenbach, Executive Director

2:00 p.m. 

Closing and Key Takeaways  

3:00 p.m. 

Networking  

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.