ARC Selects Five West Virginians for Leadership Class
Five West Virginia leaders are among 40 fellows chosen for the Appalachian Regional Commission's 2026-2027 Appalachian Leadership Institute.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in People
The Appalachian Regional Commission selected five West Virginians for the 2026-2027 Appalachian Leadership Institute, a class of 40 leaders from the region's 13 states. The fellows were chosen through a competitive application process.
Why it matters
The Institute is designed to build leadership capacity around the region's economic development challenges and opportunities. For West Virginia, the selections place five state leaders in a multistate program focused on Appalachian development.
West Virginia accounts for five of the 40 fellows in the 2026-2027 class, which spans 13 Appalachian states. The eight-month program includes six skill-building seminars and field visits across the region.
The players
Appalachian Regional Commission
A federal-state partnership agency that funds and coordinates economic development across the Appalachian region.
Tricia Kingery
Founder and president of Kingery & Company in Charleston, with about 30 years of experience helping mission-driven organizations.
Katie See
Assistant director of the Brownfields Assistance Center at West Virginia University in Morgantown, with 15 years of experience as a city and county planner.
The details
The West Virginia fellows are Bradley Harris, Tricia Kingery, Courtney Neese, Katie See and Kayleigh Kyle, drawn from private practice, nonprofit leadership, university research and federal rural development work. The Institute features field visits across Appalachia to build skills tied to regional economic development.
Timeline
October 2026: Appalachian Leadership Institute begins for the 2026-2027 fellows.
June 2027: Appalachian Leadership Institute concludes.
Market Landscape
The Appalachian Regional Commission's leadership institute builds a regional network of economic development practitioners across 13 states. Such programs position West Virginia leaders to coordinate on shared Appalachian priorities.
The program gives West Virginia professionals structured training in regional economic development through seminars and field visits. Residents may see more coordinated development work across the state as fellows apply what they learn.
The takeaway
Regional leadership programs can build the networks that shape how Appalachian states pursue shared economic goals. Professionals interested in similar development work can track the Appalachian Regional Commission's fellowship announcements.
Further reading
Explore more West Virginia coverage of leadership and people in business in the state.
