target fully employed individuals from outside the state who can work anywhere and want to be part of a contemporary , experience-driven lifestyle . Outdoor enthusiasts or young families who can help create a more diverse , inclusive and purposeful community will be given preference in a competitive application process .
“ West Virginia will always be home , and I see so much possibility in its natural beauty ,” says Smith . “ With the right mix of creativity , collaboration and resources , we can take advantage of those outdoor opportunities to welcome a new generation with the capability to revitalize the state ’ s economy . We believe this investment will advance the state ’ s efforts to become the startup state , a model for the rest of the nation and the world to follow .”
Greenbrier County Team Awarded Grant to Advance Health Equity
The Greenbrier County Health Alliance in partnership with the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine ’ s ( WVSOM ) Center for Rural and Community Health ( CRCH ) and a team of local and state partners has been selected to participate in a national learning collaborative to advance health equity . As part of the Healthiest Cities and Counties Challenge , the team will receive a $ 100,000 grant .
The alliance was one of 20 teams selected from 100 submitted proposals from eight identified states chosen to participate in the challenge , which is funded by the Aetna Foundation with the American Public Health Association and the National Association of Counties . The challenge ’ s goal is to support communities with populations of less than 600,000 that are changing the way they work together across sectors to reduce disparities in chronic disease outcomes . The funding will allow the team to strengthen food access and health care systems in Greenbrier County and engage community residents as leaders in their work during the two-year initiative .
“ We will address two priorities throughout the challenge ,” says Sally Hurst , CRCH director of outreach programs and executive director of the Greenbrier County Health Alliance . “ One will be to increase the ability of local residents to easily access healthy , local food by improving and sustaining local food systems . The other will be to increase the ability of local residents to achieve better health and improve access to health services by strengthening clinic- community connections and building an architecture of community-based , community-owned , evidence-based health promotion programs .”
Cardinal Institute Adds New Team Members
The Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy is proud to announce the hire of two new team members : Community Engagement Associate Bradley Foster and Senior Fellow Adam Kissel .
Foster joins the Cardinal team as a graduate of North Dakota State University and a longtime student activist who believes in liberty and equal opportunity for all . After decades of hearing John Denver ’ s song , he is very excited to find his new home on these country roads , and he will be traveling across West Virginia to bring Cardinal ’ s vision to every hill and hollow .
Kissel is also excited to be part of the Cardinal team advancing liberty and opportunity across the state as a senior fellow . He has supported higher education through teaching , writing , research , philanthropy , government service and defense of academic freedom and individual rights for professors and students . An appointee of President Donald Trump , he was also the deputy assistant secretary for higher education programs at the U . S . Department of Education .
Jill Rice Selected as DRI Outstanding State Representative
Dinsmore & Shohl LLP ’ s Jill Cranston Rice has been selected as this year ’ s recipient of the DRI Kevin Driskill Outstanding State Representative Award . DRI is the leading organization of civil defense attorneys and in-house counsel , and Rice has served as West Virginia ’ s state representative to DRI since 2017 . She is the first member from the state of West Virginia to receive this award .
The award honors a DRI state representative who has helped promote DRI membership and implemented unique programs to foster the relationship between DRI and his or her state . Rice was honored during DRI ’ s virtual annual meeting in October .
“ I am honored to be recognized simply for doing work I love ,” says Rice . “ Representing West Virginia and working with the DRI has been professionally rewarding and has introduced me to wonderful colleagues across the country and here in our state .” •
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