About us

Community Advisory Council

Hazard, Kentucky's downtown busy with cars and shops.
The Community Advisory Council (CAC) ensures that Invest Appalachia’s (IA) investment priorities, organizational practices, and catalytic capital deployments are in alignment with community needs and IA’s founding values. The CAC establishes our priorities for catalytic capital investments, informs impact evaluation practices, and helps shape project pipeline development. The CAC is a community feedback loop between IA staff and the communities in which we all live and work.
Alexis Close, Community Advisory Council Member

Alexis Close

she/her

Program Director

Appalachian Resource Conservation & Development Council

Johnson City, TN

Adam Wells, Community Advisory Council Member

Adam Wells

he/him

Regional Director of Community and Economic Development

Appalachian Voices

Abingdon, VA

Ray Moeller, Community Advisory Council Member

Ray Moeller

he/him

Economic Redevelopment Specialist

Northern WV Brownfields Assistance Center - West Virginia University

Summersville, WV

Kerry Pigman, Board Member; Community Advisory Council Member

Kerry Pigman

she/her

Executive Director

Athens Foundation

Athens, OH

Jason Tartt Sr., Community Advisory Council Member

Jason Tartt Sr.

he/him

Owner | Co-Founder

T & T Organics | EDGE

McDowell County, WV

Crystal Good

Crystal Good

she/her

Publisher

Black By God

Charleston, West Virginia

Sam Miller

Sam Miller

she/her

Development Director

Buckeye Hills Development Council

Athens, OH

Amelia Kirby

Amelia Kirby

she/her

Director

Sycamore Fund - Foundation for Appalachian KY

Harlan, KY

Mary Mars

Mary Mars

she/her

Cumberland Gap Trails Alliance

Cumberland Gap, TN

Annette Clapsaddle

Annette Clapsaddle

she/her

Author & Independent Consultant

Qualla Boundary/North Carolina

Invest Appalachia’s staff and operations have been directly impacted by Hurricane Helene’s devastation. Thanks for your understanding with any delays in normal communications.

We are headquartered in Western NC, and involved in local recovery efforts as well as investment strategies to rebuild for long-term resilience and equity. Any financial contributions to Invest Appalachia will go directly to recovery and rebuilding efforts in impacted communities. 

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