Rural Center’s 15th Annual Leadership Institute Graduates Class of 2005 Twenty-eight civic and community leaders graduated May 6 from the Rural Economic Development Institute, a leadership program sponsored annually by the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center. The institute offers a unique opportunity for leaders in business, government, economic development, civic and grassroots organizations to broaden their understanding of rural community and economic development and to hone their personal leadership skills. Participants attend three sessions during the course of three months. The program is based on a comprehensive approach to economic development that includes education and training of the rural work force; business growth and development; expansion of physical infrastructure; and improvements in health care, housing, childcare, and other basic services. Since its inception in 1989, the institute has graduated 691 leaders. Members of the 2005 graduating class include: Alleghany Jayne Phipps-Boger, Jonathan Halsey, Sparta. Anson Shirley Liles, Lilesville. Ashe Rev. Rob Brooks, Crumpler; Sherry Cox, Dr. Patricia Mitchell, Jefferson; Fawn Roark, West Jefferson. Brunswick Rev. Eddie Hill, Supply; Eulis Willis, Navassa. Columbus Althea McAllister, Whiteville. Durham Alan Richmond, Durham. Forsyth Nicole Hay, Winston-Salem. Guilford Angela Swann-Jones, Greensboro. Hertford Messina Reddish, Patricia Clark, Ahoskie. Hyde Alice Mackey, Englehard; Lloyd Balance, James Shelton, Swan Quarter. Iredell David Meacham, Statesville. Lee Linda Williams Ware, Sanford. McDowell Andrew Webb, Marion. Pamlico Jayne Robb, Bayboro. Perquimans Carter Dozier, Hertford. Pitt Lewis Forrest, Ayden. Surry John Holcomb, Elkin. Wake Anne Scharff Bacon, Donna Sullivan, Raleigh. Wilkes John Hauser, Wilkesboro. The N.C. Rural Economic Development Center is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is to develop sound economic strategies that improve the quality of life in rural North Carolina, with a special focus on individuals with low to moderate incomes and communities with limited resources. The center operates a multi-faceted program that includes conducting research into rural issues; testing promising rural development strategies; advocating for policy and program innovations; and building the productive capacity of rural leaders, entrepreneurs and community organizations. REDI XV Participant Biographies Anne Scharff Bacon is the senior director for workforce development at the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center. She has held positions in the governor’s office, N.C. Department of Commerce, and N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. Lloyd Ballance is executive director for the Hyde County Community Development Corporation in Engelhard. He is also a licensed real estate broker and former town manager for the Town of Kill Devil Hills. Rev. Rob Brooks is pastor of United Methodist Church and is an organizing member of a community soup kitchen, Soup for You. He is also a board member for the Northwest Alliance Program for the Rural Carolinas. Patricia Clark is director of the Roanoke-Chowan Community Development Corporation. Clark is also a licensed real estate broker and was instrumental in organizing the CMC Farmer’s Cooperative for Bertie, Halifax, Hertford, and Northampton counties. Sherry Cox is the chief human resources officer for Ashe Memorial Hospital in Jefferson. She is active in her church and in her Ashe County community. Carter Dozier is director of workforce development for the Albemarle Commission. He is also a member of the N. C. Workforce Development Director’s Council the Northeastern Workforce Development Youth Council, and the Communities in Schools Northeastern Advisory Board. Lewis Forrest is the founder and executive director of the Mattamuskeet Foundation, a nonprofit organization engaged in research and educational activities to preserve and interpret the history of Lake Mattamuskeet and the surrounding areas of eastern North Carolina. He holds a doctorate degree from N.C. State University. Nicole Hay works as a planner for the Northwest Piedmont Council of Governments. She is a member of the American Society for Public Administration, the American Planning Association and the North Carolina Association of Rural Planning Organizations. Rev. Eddie Hill serves as pastor for Sharon United Methodist Church in the town of Supply. Before he entered the ministry, Hill worked as a sports editor for a small newspaper and as managing editor for a magazine. Jonathan Halsey is project manager for the Sparta Teapot Museum project through New River Community Partners, a nonprofit development organization. In addition, he is an adjunct English instructor at Wilkes Community College and serves as music director at Christ Episcopal Church. John Hauser is director of industry services/cluster developer at Wilkes Community College. A Surry County native, Hauser recently earned a masters degree in education from N.C. Carolina State University. John Holcomb is a lifelong resident of Elkin, where he now serves as town finance director. He is also treasurer for the Yadkin Valley Chamber of Commerce. Shirley Liles is the founder and executive director of VISION, Inc., a nonprofit organization in Anson County that works to provide community support, affordable housing, pre-employment training and employment assistance. She is also a certified housing counselor and grant writer. Althea McAllister works as a Micro Intake Professional and IDA Coordinator at Southeastern Community College in Columbus County. Althea is also active in her church as a class leader and choir member. Alice Mackey is president of Davis Ventures in Engelhard. She is also active in her community, devoting time to an area youth center, the local chapter of the NAACP and her church. David Meacham is vice president of strategic business development for EnergyUnited EMC in Statesville and is also vice president for EnergyUnited Services Corporation. Meacham has been on the board of directors for several nonprofit organizations and is currently an elder in his church. Patricia Mitchell is director of economic development for Ashe County. A Georgia native, Mitchell was previously a professor at East Carolina University and continues to teach online courses for the school. She is also a member the Ashe Chamber Board of Directors and the Blue Ridge National Heritage Council. Jayne Phipps-Boger is the director of the Wilkes Community College Alleghany Center. Phipps-Boger has also been a registered nurse for more than 20 years. Mesina Reddish is the director of the Nutrition/WIC program with the Hertford County Public Health Authority. Reddish is also affiliated with the Hertford County Partners for Health and the School of Health Advisory Council for Hertford County. Alan Richmond is project coordinator with the North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development. He is a member of local and national organizations that provide information and education to men regarding prostate cancer. Fawn Roark is an Ashe County native that now works as an editor and reporter for the Ashe Mountain Times. She is involved with many organizations in her community, including the Ashe County Youth Council. Jayne Robb is a county planner and economic developer for Pamlico County. She serves on many local boards, including Pamlico County Committee of 100, Pamlico County Chamber of Commerce, and the Down East Rural Planning Organization. James Shelton is plant operator for Hyde County Water System. He is also president of Hyde Focus on Aging and a board member of Hyde County Community Development Corporation. Angela Swann-Jones is the founder of a consulting firm called FirstORG, which focuses on strategic planning, project management and organizational development. She is retired from AT&T, where she worked for many years as a project manager. Donna Sullivan is a senior associate with the e-NC Authority, which is housed in the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center. Donna’s area of expertise includes executing technology, communications, finance and accounting operations. She is also a college instructor and retired army veteran with more than 20 years of military service. Andrew Webb is a two-term county commissioner and the current chairman of the McDowell County Board of Commissioners. He is also a three-term community college trustee, small business owner and Rotarian. Linda Williams Ware is a family services supervisor with Johnston-Lee-Harnett Community Action. Ware is affiliated with the Network on Aging, United Way (Child Protection & Child Fatality teams) and Lee Can. She is also an active member of Christian Provision Ministries. Eulis Willis is the mayor of his hometown of Navassa. He recently retired from Progress Energy’s Brunswick Nuclear Plant, where he worked for 28 years. Willis is also a published author.