Gary Schoeniger is an internationally recognized leader in entrepreneurial mindset education and professional development. His work focuses on redefining traditional concepts of entrepreneurship, emphasizing the mindset and behaviors that optimize engagement and unlock human potential. Described as someone who teaches with both intellect and heart, Gary brings a deeply human-centered approach to his work, inspiring others to rethink what it means to be innovative and entrepreneurial.

As the Founder and CEO of the Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative (ELI), Gary has been a leading advocate for entrepreneurial mindset education in classrooms, organizations, and communities. His approach aims to democratize entrepreneurship, making it accessible to people from all backgrounds and circumstances. Through research, articles, and thought leadership, he contributes to both academic and practical discussions on entrepreneurship—challenging outdated paradigms and promoting a more inclusive, empowering vision of entrepreneurial learning.

Ian Norris is the Director of the Entrepreneurship for the Public Good (EPG) and serves as the William and Kay Moore Chair in Entrepreneurship. He is also a professor of Marketing in the Department of Economics and Business and affiliate faculty in Psychology. In Business, Dr. Norris regularly teaches courses in Consumer Behavior, Marketing Research, and Marketing Principles. He has also taught Industrial/Organizational and Social Psychology as well as International Business in Austria through the Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS). With Nancy Sowers, Professor of Finance, he developed the financial literacy program at Berea College and co-authored the textbook Invest in Your Financial Literacy: A Guide to Financial Decision-Making.

Dr. Norris is passionate about creativity, innovation, social entrepreneurship, and sustainability. His research interests are primarily in the area of consumer behavior, and, more specifically, consumer values and well-being, happiness, and sustainable consumption. He has published in a diverse range of journals, including Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, Psychology & Marketing, Academy of Management Review, and Psychophysiology. His research has been featured in outlets such as Scientific American and the Daily Telegraph. He has also written popular press articles for Psychology Today under the column Happiness Evolves.

Dr. Norris received a PhD in Social Psychology from Texas Tech University and completed extensive doctoral work in Marketing at the University of Kentucky’s Gatton College of Business. He also holds an MBA from Murray State University, where he was previously a faculty member in psychology, and a certificate in International Business education from the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business. In 2021-22, he served as a fellow of the American Council on Education at the University of Louisville.

Gary Schoeniger is an internationally recognized leader in entrepreneurial mindset education and professional development. His work focuses on redefining traditional concepts of entrepreneurship, emphasizing the mindset and behaviors that optimize engagement and unlock human potential. Described as someone who teaches with both intellect and heart, Gary brings a deeply human-centered approach to his work, inspiring others to rethink what it means to be innovative and entrepreneurial.

As the Founder and CEO of the Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative (ELI), Gary has been a leading advocate for entrepreneurial mindset education in classrooms, organizations, and communities. His approach aims to democratize entrepreneurship, making it accessible to people from all backgrounds and circumstances. Through research, articles, and thought leadership, he contributes to both academic and practical discussions on entrepreneurship—challenging outdated paradigms and promoting a more inclusive, empowering vision of entrepreneurial learning.

Ian Norris is the Director of the Entrepreneurship for the Public Good (EPG) and serves as the William and Kay Moore Chair in Entrepreneurship. He is also a professor of Marketing in the Department of Economics and Business and affiliate faculty in Psychology. In Business, Dr. Norris regularly teaches courses in Consumer Behavior, Marketing Research, and Marketing Principles. He has also taught Industrial/Organizational and Social Psychology as well as International Business in Austria through the Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS). With Nancy Sowers, Professor of Finance, he developed the financial literacy program at Berea College and co-authored the textbook Invest in Your Financial Literacy: A Guide to Financial Decision-Making.

Dr. Norris is passionate about creativity, innovation, social entrepreneurship, and sustainability. His research interests are primarily in the area of consumer behavior, and, more specifically, consumer values and well-being, happiness, and sustainable consumption. He has published in a diverse range of journals, including Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, Psychology & Marketing, Academy of Management Review, and Psychophysiology. His research has been featured in outlets such as Scientific American and the Daily Telegraph. He has also written popular press articles for Psychology Today under the column Happiness Evolves.

Dr. Norris received a PhD in Social Psychology from Texas Tech University and completed extensive doctoral work in Marketing at the University of Kentucky’s Gatton College of Business. He also holds an MBA from Murray State University, where he was previously a faculty member in psychology, and a certificate in International Business education from the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business. In 2021-22, he served as a fellow of the American Council on Education at the University of Louisville.

Brian has a Ph.D. in Biology from Florida State University and as the Nonpoint Source Stormwater Coordinator, is working to reduce the impacts of flooding in Kentucky communities, reduce nonpoint source pollution in our stormwater runoff, and engaging communities to improve and care for their local waterways along the way.

Mave Sirek graduated from the University of Kentucky’s Landscape Architecture Program in May 2025. During her time in the program, she served as Communications Chair of the ASLA Student Chapter, and worked as a teaching assistant for UKLA and UKCOD.

With community at the heart of her work, Mave emphasizes the importance of visual narratives that engage, facilitate, and respond to the needs of the public. After graduating, she has contributed to multi-disciplinary planning projects across the region, navigating effective design processes, collaboration, and implementation. 

Samantha is a Certified Planner and a LEED Accredited Professional for Neighborhood Design and has a Master of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Senior Associate and leads the Lexington, Kentucky office of the planning, architecture, and landscape architecture firm Tunnell, Spangler, Walsh & Associates. Her comprehensive background includes large-scale master planning and transportation planning in both the public and private sectors, as well as experience in all phases of urban design, city planning, landscape architecture, and public engagement.

Samantha has served as Adjunct Professor for the Community Design and Engagement Studio in the University of Kentucky’s Department of Landscape Architecture and guest lecturer in the College of Design since 2018. Samantha currently serves as the Chair of the American Planning Association (APA) Kentucky Chapter’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee, the 2026 Chair of the APA National Awards Jury, and sits on the National APA Change Ambassador Group.

Carolina Segura-Bell holds an Architecture degree from the Universidad Católica de Córdoba (Córdoba, Argentina), a certificate in Landscape Design and Environment from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Buenos Aires, Argentina), and a Masters of Community Planning at the University of Cincinnati.    

Carolina has provided consulting services within and outside the University. Including the Horticultural Research and Education Center to develop a design to enhance their outdoor learning and cooking demonstration gathering spaces for a new cluster of buildings at the South Farm, the S.KY Blue project lending the SITES certification efforts for the relocation of the UK Solar House. SPIN bike. Greater Gardenside as well as many studios. Most recently, Carolina has connected with many communities through studio experiences and summer fellowships.

Kayla earned her B.S. in Landscape Architecture from the University of Kentucky, where she worked with the university's sustainability program, served on the ASLA student chapter and the Student Sustainability Council, and was named the university's 2025 LAF Olmsted Scholar, where she used the platform to advocate and bring attention to flooding in her home region of Eastern Kentucky. 

Since graduating, she has contributed to comprehensive plans, corridor studies, and post-flood public realm design in rural Kentucky. Kayla is driven by a passion for addressing climate change, engaging communities, and creating public spaces that inspire, serve, and strengthen connections among people.

Grace Lawson is a community developer and film producer. She serves as the Communications Coordinator with the West Virginia Community Development Hub, supporting storytelling and economic resilience across Appalachia.

She produced O Pioneer, an award-winning documentary that premiered at Cinequest Film Festival and earned honors including a Webby, Telly, and three regional Emmy nominations. Her work also includes projects for Google, Salesforce, Northwestern Mutual, SXSW, and communities across West Virginia.

Grace writes a monthly community development column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail, manages the West Virginia band Dalchord, and enjoys exploring Kanawha County's trails. 

Kateena Haynes, M.Ed., CFRE, is the CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Appalachia, where she has led the organization's growth from a single Club with four employees and a $125,000 budget to a multi-site organization serving thousands of youth annually across Southeastern Kentucky. A nationally Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Kateena is passionate about building sustainable nonprofit organizations through strategic leadership, strong systems, and innovative partnerships. In 2025, she was named the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Midwest CEO of the Year, representing hundreds of organizations across a 13-state region. She has presented at two BGCA Midwest Leadership Conferences and one National Conference on topics including organizational growth, leadership, and innovative programming. 

Kateena serves on the Kentucky Nonprofit Network Board of Directors and is committed to strengthening nonprofit capacity throughout Appalachia. She believes sustainable organizations create stronger communities and enjoys helping leaders develop practical systems that reduce burnout and increase long-term impact.

As the Chief Advancement Officer for the Mountain Association, Leslie works across the organization to ensure funding, communications, and policy work align with and advances the organization’s strategic goals. She started at the Mountain Association in 2016 as a Research Associate, tasked with studying economic trends and opportunities in Eastern Kentucky to develop and implement strategic projects for the organization. Leslie holds a Master’s in English Composition and Rhetoric from Western Carolina University and a Bachelor's in English-Writing from Berea College with a minor in Sustainability and Environmental Studies. Originally from Western North Carolina, Leslie is happy to call Berea, Kentucky home. 

Les has worked with Mountain Association since 2011, when he opened our Hazard office. He manages special projects and leads teams in developing new strategies for place-based investment of organizational resources. Les was instrumental in the launch of our solar loan product and led our energy financing to grocery stores and has been responsible for more than $8.5 million in loans to businesses and nonprofits in Eastern Kentucky. He has also led our community development work in Hazard and Perry County, including the creation of Thursdays on the Triangle which focuses on artist-entrepreneurship, and InVision Hazard, a citizen’s action group focused on downtown revitalization and local government advocacy. Les currently leads Mountain Association’s first foray into real estate development, The 479 Main Project, in Hazard. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law, a member of the Kentucky Bar Association, and a certified Economic Development Financial Professional. 

Robin Gabbard serves as President of the Mountain Association, a nonprofit and CDFI that, for 50 years, has been committed to building a more diverse and resilient economy in Eastern Kentucky. With more than three decades of nonprofit leadership, Robin has dedicated her career to strengthening communities through community development, capacity building, and regional collaboration. Prior to the Mountain Association, she held key leadership roles at LKLP Community Action and the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky, as well as Teach for America Appalachia. Her professional and volunteer work has consistently focused on expanding opportunities, improving quality of life, and supporting local leaders in shaping the future of their communities. Robin holds a Bachelor of Arts (Magna Cum Laude) from Morehead State University. She and her family are rooted in Gays Creek, a beautiful Perry County, Kentucky community.

Emily Hilliard is a folklorist, writer, and media producer based at Berea College in Berea, Kentucky. Hilliard worked previously as the Program Director for Folk and Traditional Arts at Mid Atlantic Arts, and from 2015-2021, she served as the West Virginia State Folklorist and Founding Director of the West Virginia Folklife Program at the West Virginia Humanities Council. She holds an M.A. in folklore from the University of North Carolina, and a B.A. in English and French from the University of Michigan. Her book, Making Our Future: Visionary Folklore and Everyday Culture in Appalachia, was published by the University of North Carolina Press in 2022, and was named a finalist for the 2022 nonfiction Weatherford Award for books “best illuminating the challenges, personalities, and unique qualities of the Appalachian South.”

For over the past decade, Hilliard has worked with cultural heritage and traditional arts institutions including Mid Atlantic Arts, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the American Folklife Center (AFC) at the Library of Congress, and the National Council for the Traditional Arts. She was a 2020-2021 American Folklife Center Archie Green Fellow for a project documenting the occupational folklife of rural mail carriers in Central Appalachia. In 2018, she was a recipient of the AFC’s Gerald E. and Corrine L. Parsons Fund Award and in 2016, received their Henry Reed Fund Award. 

Her writing and media work have been published by NPR, Oxford American, Southern Cultures, The Journal of American Folklore, Ecotone Magazine, The Bitter Southerner, Garden & Gun, Jacobin, and Dissent, among others. From 2005-2016, Hilliard wrote and published the pie blog Nothing in the House.

Hilliard has been a faculty member of the University of Michigan's New England Literature Program, and is affiliated faculty in Marshall University's Graduate Humanities Program. She serves on the Advisory Council of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

Her work in vernacular music, laborlore, foodways, and craft explores the visionary potential of traditional arts and cultural practices. She is also a musician and co-founder and co-owner of the feminist record label SPINSTER.

Dr. Melissa Newman is Executive Director of Press Forward Blue Grass, bringing her decades of journalism experience, fundraising, and grant writing skills into this work.

Melissa previously served as the Associate Vice President for Place-Based Partnerships at Partners for Rural Impact and Executive Director of the Appalachian Cradle to Career Partnership. Her dual roles supported convening strategically aligned organizations in Kentucky’s Appalachia and guiding other rural places nationally in their cradle-to-career work, specifically around communication and policy, with a mission and vision to create cradle-to-career systems transformation in rural America.

Melissa has dedicated her career to elevating the status of Kentucky’s Appalachia through fundraising, grant writing, public and community relations, and research. Melissa is a former journalist, public relations practitioner, and published novelist. Her academic research focuses on how the news media has influenced sustained negative stereotypes in Appalachia. It has revealed that changing the region’s story can positively impact individuals, their communities, and the economy.

Dr. Newman’s more recent work includes a book chapter she co-authored, A History of Media Coverage of Poverty in the United States Since 1960, as part of a collective of work within “The Routledge Companion to Media and Poverty” that explores the complex, and often problematic, ways in which the news media shapes perceptions of poverty. Melissa also teaches in the Department of Communication at Eastern Kentucky University. She is also a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE).

Betsy grew up in East Tennessee and studied at UT Knoxville (don't hold that against her,) and later at Christian Theological Seminary. She holds a Master of Divinity and was trained and worked as a pastoral psychotherapist for many years. In her role as Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Mountain Association, she now helps communities in Eastern Kentucky to respond to needs and opportunities using the support and resources of Mountain Association, their partners, and their networks. She has over 25 years experience facilitating groups and meetings, and is glad to share lessons she learned the hard way so that you don't have to. She interjects her presentations with a fair amount of humor so at least it won't be boring.

After a career in Washington, D.C. as a federal policy and clinical medicine reporter, journal editor, and classical music critic, Whitney returned to Kentucky to found The Edge, a weekly online news publication serving Berea and communities at the edge of Appalachia.

The Edge is a grassroots journalism project founded to fill a critical information gap around land-use policy and local governance in Berea, Kentucky—issues that directly affect who controls rural land and how it is used. By reporting in plain language and centering community voices, our work equips residents with the information they need to participate in decision-making and resist exploitative development.

Molly Updegrove is the Director of Operations & Deputy Director of Programs for ReImagine Appalachia. Molly has a Master's in Social Work with a concentration in Community Organization and Social Action. Molly brings years of experience in organizing, event-planning, coordination, outreach, grant-writing, and implementing public policy plans. She is the co-chair of the Young Appalachian Leaders and Learners Committee at Appalachian Studies Association, board member of Birding CoOp, and a volunteer at the local animal shelter. In her spare time, Molly enjoys being outdoors, backpacking, hiking, and especially birding! Molly also enjoys riding roller-coasters, travelling, and dancing - she is a member of her local concert band and Leaps for Lives and Life Moves Dance companies.

Dr. Meghan M. Grace is a strategist, researcher and speaker who helps people-focused organizations listen deeply, make sense of complexity and turn insight into trusted stories. As founder of Grace Strategies & Insights and co-founder of the Association of Higher Education Consulting & Coaching, Meghan partners with nonprofits, associations and education-focused organizations to strengthen strategy, stakeholder engagement, messaging and organizational clarity.

Through Tortoiseshell Collaborative, Meghan and co-presenter Laura bring a listening-first approach to helping communities surface what matters, translate input into cohesive messaging and tell stories that are grounded, accurate and trusted by the people they serve most.

Laura Rudolph, M.S. is a marketing and communications strategist who helps education-focused organizations communicate with greater clarity, empathy and purpose. As founder of Square One Consulting, Laura works with colleges, universities and mission-driven organizations to better understand their audiences, improve the way they communicate and build messages that feel more human, useful and actionable.

Through Tortoiseshell Collaborative, Laura and co-presenter Meghan bring a listening-first approach to helping communities surface what matters, translate input into cohesive messaging and tell stories that are grounded, accurate and trusted by the people they serve most.

Brian has a Ph.D. in Biology from Florida State University and as the Nonpoint Source Stormwater Coordinator, is working to reduce the impacts of flooding in Kentucky communities, reduce nonpoint source pollution in our stormwater runoff, and engaging communities to improve and care for their local waterways along the way.

Mave Sirek graduated from the University of Kentucky’s Landscape Architecture Program in May 2025. During her time in the program, she served as Communications Chair of the ASLA Student Chapter, and worked as a teaching assistant for UKLA and UKCOD.

With community at the heart of her work, Mave emphasizes the importance of visual narratives that engage, facilitate, and respond to the needs of the public. After graduating, she has contributed to multi-disciplinary planning projects across the region, navigating effective design processes, collaboration, and implementation. 

Samantha is a Certified Planner and a LEED Accredited Professional for Neighborhood Design and has a Master of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Senior Associate and leads the Lexington, Kentucky office of the planning, architecture, and landscape architecture firm Tunnell, Spangler, Walsh & Associates. Her comprehensive background includes large-scale master planning and transportation planning in both the public and private sectors, as well as experience in all phases of urban design, city planning, landscape architecture, and public engagement.

Samantha has served as Adjunct Professor for the Community Design and Engagement Studio in the University of Kentucky’s Department of Landscape Architecture and guest lecturer in the College of Design since 2018. Samantha currently serves as the Chair of the American Planning Association (APA) Kentucky Chapter’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee, the 2026 Chair of the APA National Awards Jury, and sits on the National APA Change Ambassador Group.

Carolina Segura-Bell holds an Architecture degree from the Universidad Católica de Córdoba (Córdoba, Argentina), a certificate in Landscape Design and Environment from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Buenos Aires, Argentina), and a Masters of Community Planning at the University of Cincinnati.    

Carolina has provided consulting services within and outside the University. Including the Horticultural Research and Education Center to develop a design to enhance their outdoor learning and cooking demonstration gathering spaces for a new cluster of buildings at the South Farm, the S.KY Blue project lending the SITES certification efforts for the relocation of the UK Solar House. SPIN bike. Greater Gardenside as well as many studios. Most recently, Carolina has connected with many communities through studio experiences and summer fellowships.

Kayla earned her B.S. in Landscape Architecture from the University of Kentucky, where she worked with the university's sustainability program, served on the ASLA student chapter and the Student Sustainability Council, and was named the university's 2025 LAF Olmsted Scholar, where she used the platform to advocate and bring attention to flooding in her home region of Eastern Kentucky. 

Since graduating, she has contributed to comprehensive plans, corridor studies, and post-flood public realm design in rural Kentucky. Kayla is driven by a passion for addressing climate change, engaging communities, and creating public spaces that inspire, serve, and strengthen connections among people.

Grace Lawson is a community developer and film producer. She serves as the Communications Coordinator with the West Virginia Community Development Hub, supporting storytelling and economic resilience across Appalachia.

She produced O Pioneer, an award-winning documentary that premiered at Cinequest Film Festival and earned honors including a Webby, Telly, and three regional Emmy nominations. Her work also includes projects for Google, Salesforce, Northwestern Mutual, SXSW, and communities across West Virginia.

Grace writes a monthly community development column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail, manages the West Virginia band Dalchord, and enjoys exploring Kanawha County's trails. 

Kateena Haynes, M.Ed., CFRE, is the CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Appalachia, where she has led the organization's growth from a single Club with four employees and a $125,000 budget to a multi-site organization serving thousands of youth annually across Southeastern Kentucky. A nationally Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Kateena is passionate about building sustainable nonprofit organizations through strategic leadership, strong systems, and innovative partnerships. In 2025, she was named the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Midwest CEO of the Year, representing hundreds of organizations across a 13-state region. She has presented at two BGCA Midwest Leadership Conferences and one National Conference on topics including organizational growth, leadership, and innovative programming. 

Kateena serves on the Kentucky Nonprofit Network Board of Directors and is committed to strengthening nonprofit capacity throughout Appalachia. She believes sustainable organizations create stronger communities and enjoys helping leaders develop practical systems that reduce burnout and increase long-term impact.

Kateena Haynes, M.Ed., CFRE, is the CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Appalachia, where she has led the organization's growth from a single Club with four employees and a $125,000 budget to a multi-site organization serving thousands of youth annually across Southeastern Kentucky. A nationally Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Kateena is passionate about building sustainable nonprofit organizations through strategic leadership, strong systems, and innovative partnerships. In 2025, she was named the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Midwest CEO of the Year, representing hundreds of organizations across a 13-state region. She has presented at two BGCA Midwest Leadership Conferences and one National Conference on topics including organizational growth, leadership, and innovative programming. 

Kateena serves on the Kentucky Nonprofit Network Board of Directors and is committed to strengthening nonprofit capacity throughout Appalachia. She believes sustainable organizations create stronger communities and enjoys helping leaders develop practical systems that reduce burnout and increase long-term impact.

Emily Hilliard is a folklorist, writer, and media producer based at Berea College in Berea, Kentucky. Hilliard worked previously as the Program Director for Folk and Traditional Arts at Mid Atlantic Arts, and from 2015-2021, she served as the West Virginia State Folklorist and Founding Director of the West Virginia Folklife Program at the West Virginia Humanities Council. She holds an M.A. in folklore from the University of North Carolina, and a B.A. in English and French from the University of Michigan. Her book, Making Our Future: Visionary Folklore and Everyday Culture in Appalachia, was published by the University of North Carolina Press in 2022, and was named a finalist for the 2022 nonfiction Weatherford Award for books “best illuminating the challenges, personalities, and unique qualities of the Appalachian South.”

For over the past decade, Hilliard has worked with cultural heritage and traditional arts institutions including Mid Atlantic Arts, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the American Folklife Center (AFC) at the Library of Congress, and the National Council for the Traditional Arts. She was a 2020-2021 American Folklife Center Archie Green Fellow for a project documenting the occupational folklife of rural mail carriers in Central Appalachia. In 2018, she was a recipient of the AFC’s Gerald E. and Corrine L. Parsons Fund Award and in 2016, received their Henry Reed Fund Award. 

Her writing and media work have been published by NPR, Oxford American, Southern Cultures, The Journal of American Folklore, Ecotone Magazine, The Bitter Southerner, Garden & Gun, Jacobin, and Dissent, among others. From 2005-2016, Hilliard wrote and published the pie blog Nothing in the House.

Hilliard has been a faculty member of the University of Michigan's New England Literature Program, and is affiliated faculty in Marshall University's Graduate Humanities Program. She serves on the Advisory Council of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

Her work in vernacular music, laborlore, foodways, and craft explores the visionary potential of traditional arts and cultural practices. She is also a musician and co-founder and co-owner of the feminist record label SPINSTER.

Dr. Melissa Newman is Executive Director of Press Forward Blue Grass, bringing her decades of journalism experience, fundraising, and grant writing skills into this work.

Melissa previously served as the Associate Vice President for Place-Based Partnerships at Partners for Rural Impact and Executive Director of the Appalachian Cradle to Career Partnership. Her dual roles supported convening strategically aligned organizations in Kentucky’s Appalachia and guiding other rural places nationally in their cradle-to-career work, specifically around communication and policy, with a mission and vision to create cradle-to-career systems transformation in rural America.

Melissa has dedicated her career to elevating the status of Kentucky’s Appalachia through fundraising, grant writing, public and community relations, and research. Melissa is a former journalist, public relations practitioner, and published novelist. Her academic research focuses on how the news media has influenced sustained negative stereotypes in Appalachia. It has revealed that changing the region’s story can positively impact individuals, their communities, and the economy.

Dr. Newman’s more recent work includes a book chapter she co-authored, A History of Media Coverage of Poverty in the United States Since 1960, as part of a collective of work within “The Routledge Companion to Media and Poverty” that explores the complex, and often problematic, ways in which the news media shapes perceptions of poverty. Melissa also teaches in the Department of Communication at Eastern Kentucky University. She is also a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE).