MAAV Team

Co-Director
kmpowell@vt.edu

Katrina M. Powell is Professor of Rhetoric and Writing and Founding Director of the Center for Refugee, Migrant, and Displacement Studies at Virginia Tech. Her research focuses on displacement narratives and her books include The Anguish of Displacement: The Politics of Literacy in the Letters of Mountain Families in Shenandoah National Park (University of Virginia Press, 2007), Practicing Research in Writing Studies: Reflexive and Ethically Responsible Research (co-edited, Hampton Inc., Press, 2012), Identity and Power in Narratives of Displacement (Routledge, 2015), and Performing Autobiography: Narrating a Life as Activism (Palgrave 2021). She is co-founder of the digital-born oral history initiative, VTStories.org and founding editor of the journal Roots and Resettlement. Her oral history collection, Beginning Again: Stories of Migration and Movement In Appalachia is forthcoming from Haymarket Books in 2024. Her current research focuses on spatial justice and the structures where displaced populations are relocated.

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Co-Director
satterwhite@vt.edu

Dr. Emily Satterwhite is Professor in the Department of Religion and Culture and Director of Appalachian Studies at Virginia Tech. Dr. Satterwhite served on the President's Commission on Virginia Tech History, for which she convened stakeholder groups to help formulate Sesquicentennial commemorative markers retelling the university’s history from marginalized perspectives.

She is the author of Dear Appalachia: Readers, Identity, and Popular Fiction since 1878 (University Press of Kentucky, 2011), an examination of the ways in which Americans have imagined the region to further projects of white nationalism or ameliorate their sense of dislocation. Her current research centers on justice-centered knowledge production grounded in the histories, societies, and cultural representations of Appalachia. She is a volunteer with climate justice organizations, including Appalachians Against Pipelines and POWHR (Protect Our Water, Heritage, Rights).

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Project Coordinator
ltrice@vt.edu

Lauren is a passionate community planner and architectural historian. She has managed grant programs, led planning projects, and developed award-winning strategies for community engagement. Her work strives for authentic community engagement emphasizing the power of place. Lauren has experience across the country and deep roots in Appalachian Virginia. Lauren is eager to explore how people of all ages define their community and decide what stories need to be told in the public realm.

Lauren holds a B.A. in Historic Preservation from the University of Mary Washington and a Masters in Urban Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. She is on the Board of Directors for YEP! Youth Engagement Planning and a leader of the American Planning Association Urban Design & Preservation Division.

Sarah Plummer (she/her) is a member of the MAAV Leadership Team, contributing to community outreach and research activities of the project. Sarah also was the 2023 Creative Research Specialist for MAAV. She is a Mellon Postdoctoral Associate teaching courses in the Appalachian Studies Program as a member of the Department of Religion and Culture at Virginia Tech. Her research focuses on performativity of objects, protest art, and art in public spaces. Prior to joining MAAV, Plummer was a Virginia Tech Graduate Academy for Teaching Excellence Fellow, a Diversity Scholar through the Graduate School, and co-editor of the peer reviewed scholarly journal SPECTRA: the Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Theory Archive. Previously, Plummer worked as a journalist in West Virginia Writing for The Register-Herald and the Associated Press. She currently writes a column on Appalachian culture for WV South Magazine. Plummer holds a Ph.D in Social and Cultural Thought from Virginia Tech, an M.A. in English from Virginia Tech, and a B.A. in English and Theater from Berea College.

Jordan Bell educator, historian, and community activist. Jordan works for Roanoke City Public Schools, Boys & Girls Club, and Apple Ridge Farm where he is summer camp director. Jordan believes in being an active member of his community. He is a member of many different organizations that do work in the neighborhoods of Roanoke, Virginia. Jordan and his daughter give walking tours of the historic Gainsboro neighborhood. Jordan has presented and led workshops for college courses, organizations, and local government officials on the importance of historical preservation.

Jae De La Mora is a single mother of two children living in Radford, VA. She works as a freelance interpreter and is a passionate community advocate, currently sitting on the Board of Directors of the Virginia Poverty Law Center, the VOICES Leadership Council from the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, RADical Change Commission, Floyd Friends of Asylum Seekers and several other grassroots efforts in the area to help members of the community.

De La Mora was born in Mexico City and was raised there and in Washington D.C., but has been living in Appalachian Virginia since 2011. She has found the community to be very accepting, and has been struck by how misrepresented Appalachia is. Despite the failures of the system that she has seen towards the people of Appalachia, De La Mora is proudly raising her children here in the place she calls home.

Based in Wise County, Virginia, Taysha DeVaughan is the Donor Engagement Coordinator at the Appalachian Community Fund and an active participant in social justice and flood relief efforts in central Appalachia, including serving as a representative at UVA-Wise for Indigenous Peoples Month. She is a founding member of Lonesome Pine Mutual Aid, former president of Southern Appalachians Mountain Stewards, the recipient of the Upper Tennessee River Round Table Good Citizen award for her work as a water protector, and chair of the Virginia Environmental Justice Council. She is an enrolled member of the Comanche Nation of Oklahoma.

William Isom II is an East Tennessee native and the director of Black in Appalachia. He coordinates research, community database development, documentary film and photography production, oral history collection and educational events in conjunction with local residents. William has worked in various media, cultural and social justice capacities throughout his 25 year career and is the proud father of two boys, Devin and Isa.

Women of the region have primarily shaped William’s understanding of Appalachia. Carol Judy, a root digging mountain Granny from the Clearfork Valley, shaped his perspective on our relationship to the natural world, the importance of including youth in everything we do, and how to engage with people in perceived positions of power. Another person that was instrumental in his life is Darlene Wilson of Wise County, VA. Darlene shaped how he views race, class and gender within the colonial framework of Appalachia.

Devair Jeffries-Lee is an artist-scholar with expertise in theatre, film, art, and education. She holds a Ph.D. in Theatre Studies from Florida State University, and has conducted research utilizing critical race and Black feminist theories to analyze Black identity, stereotypes, racial violence, and representation in theatre, television, and film.

As the Arts@VT Program Director at Virginia Tech, she collaborates with various campus and community-wide entities including the Arts@VT Board, external partnerships, and undergraduate student ambassadors on arts initiatives including public art projects and special collections. As the Program Director for BGM (Black Girl Magic), she mentors a group of primarily Black women undergraduates and connects them to relevant opportunities across campus.

With cultural and biological roots in North Carolina, the heartland of Appalachian origin, Devair’s mentorship, research, and performance work has included fostering diverse spaces and illuminating intersectional identity at Virginia Tech and the surrounding community.

Paul Quigley is Director of the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies and the James I. Robertson, Jr. Associate Professor of Civil War History in the Department of History at Virginia Tech. He is author of Shifting Grounds: Nationalism and the American South, 1848-65, and is currently completing a book about Preston Brooks and cultures of violence in the U.S. before the Civil War. Quigley has contributed to collaborative public history projects such as an exhibit on Black Virginians in the age of emancipation at the American Civil War Museum-Appomattox and an augmented reality tour of a Civil War site near Petersburg. Quigley has gotten to know Appalachia through living in Blacksburg, traveling in the region, and especially through learning about its often overlooked history during the American Civil War era.

Jessica Taylor is a public historian and assistant professor at Virginia Tech. She is affiliated with the Center for Oral History, the Diggs Teaching Scholar Association, and various research and teaching groups on campus. Growing up in the Piedmont nearby changed her appreciation of the Appalachian mountains, and a decade doing oral histories have shown her how the pitfalls and promises of tourism and resource extraction transform individuals' experiences in the region.

Kristy Vance is a shop steward for UFCW Local 400, President of the Western Virginia CLUW, Secretary-Treasurer for the Western Virginia Labor Federation and sits on the executive board of the Virginia State AFL-CIO.

Born and raised in the rural community of Grayson County located in the Southwestern Virginia, her father and maternal grandmother taught her the value of heritage and history, particularly that of their family in the Appalachian area. For instance, her father shared with her how her great uncle started the Hatfield-McCoy Feud, and the role their family played in the development of Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia. Her grandmother taught her the troubles of the Indigenous peoples in the area once the “white man” began their journey west, and how their lives changed forever. It is because of them that she values history and believes it is important to pass it on to the next generation.

Evaluation Consultant

2023 Applied Arts Strategist & Researcher

Meranda Flachs-Surmanek (they/them) is an artist and urban planner driven by the belief that creativity is central to healthy lives and that telling stories brings us closer to knowing each other and ourselves. With over a decade of experience using the arts to facilitate cross-sector and cross-cultural collaborations, they collaborate with people to understand complex systems, re-orient themselves to places, engage in group decision-making, connect through story, and work across conflict.

Meranda co-designs projects aligned with community-defined goals, ranging from documentary theater and walking tours to workshops, archival initiatives, toolkits, curriculum development, and strategic planning. Their collaborations span organizations like Ping Chong + Company, teaching at Virginia Tech's Center for Communicating Science, and a research affiliation with the University of Florida's Center for Arts in Medicine to promote partnerships among activists, artists, community developers, and public health experts. Meranda has received recognition as a Visiting Fellow at Skidmore College’s Storytellers’ Institute and is a current Forefront Fellow with the Urban Design Forum. For more information, you can visit their website at merandissime.com.

Marianne Hawthorne is the Office Administrator for the Center for Rural Education and the Center for Refugee, Migrant, and Displacement Studies. She has worked at Virginia Tech in Fiscal Operations since 2001. She spent 17 years with the Center for Power Electronic Systems as Fiscal Tech and Administrative Assistant to the Center Director and five years at the National Security Institute and Hume Center as a Senior Fiscal Tech. She received her BS in Business from Radford University. Marianne came to the New River Valley for college and has stayed in the area ever since.

Melissa Hernandez is the graphic designer for the Monuments Across Appalachian Virginia (MAAV) project. In MAAV, she focuses her expertise in print design to visually communicate the history of Appalachian communities. She works to make impactful visual narratives aimed at enhancing the MAAV’s outreach and engagement and fostering a deeper understanding of the diverse experiences that shape the Appalachian region.

Matthew Pickett is a life-long resident of Southwest Virginia, Film and TV Production company owner, and Instructor at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise.

Matthew has worked in the film and television industry for over 10 years as a production coordinator, manager, cinematographer and producer. As a production company owner, Matthew has filmed multiple documentary shorts telling Appalachian stories in both Virginia and West Virginia.

As an Instructor at UVA Wise, Matthew connects rural students to a variety of professions within the field of film and Television as a way to help empower and encourage the future of Appalachian storytellers in a variety of media landscapes.

Jacob Robinson is a Sociology Ph.D. candidate at Virginia Tech, specializing in the intersection of racial experiences and the unique spaces of Appalachia. His academic journey is deeply rooted in exploring the complexities of identity within this vibrant region, aiming to illuminate often overlooked narratives and perspectives.

Born in Galax, VA, Jacob continues to be a lifelong resident of Southwest Virginia. His love for the mountains and upbringing in the region fuels his passion for understanding and celebrating the culturally rich communities found within Appalachian Virginia. With a commitment to social justice and community engagement, Jacob endeavors to challenge stereotypes and foster greater understanding and empathy for a community often misunderstood.

Marti Wagnon is a technical/social communicator and Appalachian scholar located in the Giles County, Virginia. After completing her Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Writing from Virginia Tech, Marti now serves as the Communications Coordinator for Monuments Across Appalachian Virginia (MAAV) and the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences (CLAHS). She also teaches Appalachian Studies at Virginia Tech, and her research areas are Appalachian Rhetoric, Community Engagement, and Technical Communication. Because Marti has spent her whole life here in the New River Valley, she considers herself an avid Hokie fan as well. Go Hokies!

Macie is a History Major from Tazewell, VA. As an advocate for rural students, she has served on multiple panels discussing the future of higher education. Macie is a leader in the Black College Institute which brings high school juniors and seniors to Virginia Tech during the summer. She likes music ,pant suits with Jordan 1s, and coloring in her free time. Macie's favorite portion of History is Modern American History. After college Macie plans on becoming a teacher and coach back home in Tazewell to help mold the minds of the future.

Eve is an Elementary Education major with a focus on Rural and Queer youth. She is especially interested in Queer Appalachian culture, and how and why it differs from urban Queer culture. She is also working toward a minor in Appalachian Studies.

Her family history is deeply rooted in the mountains and valleys of Virginia, which is a major aspect of her identity. Growing up Queer in this region has given her a nuanced view of Appalachian and Rural issues that she wants to share with others through community engagement and research. In addition to working with MAAV, Eve is the head residential counselor of SEE VT, a summer camp for gifted rural middle schoolers run by the Virginia Tech Center for Rural Education.

Cameron Baller (he/they) is a doctoral student in Sociology at Virginia Tech studying the dynamics of pipeline resistance movements, particularly the Mountain Valley Pipeline resistance. In his free time, Cameron enjoys video games, board games, and rock climbing. Cameron is excited to work with MAAV to educate the community about existing monuments in Appalachian Virginia and to help fill gaps where needed.

Chance is an Environmental Conservation and Society student from Altavista, VA. He is a part of the Forestry Club at Virginia Tech and specializes in outdoor management. Chance has taken apart in a variety of training including leading canoe trips, site ecological restoration, and wilderness first response. Chance is a leader in the Appalachian Studies Program and is the recipient of the McCombs scholarship. Chance likes traveling to visit monuments in his pickup truck with his dog and sweet tea.

Christian Crawley is an undergraduate senior studying Landscape Architecture at Virginia Tech where he is set graduate in May 2025. In addition to his Landscape Architecture major, he is getting minors in Ecological Cities and in Appalachian Cultures and Environments. He spent his childhood growing up in the Roanoke Valley and is a proud alumnus of Salem High School where his younger sister and brother attend today. This year, he will be conducting a senior thesis project examining the role of storytelling methods in Black communities in the development of neighborhood designs through community-led visions of their sense of place.

Nicholas Fink is majoring in Business Administration and a proud member of the Monacan Indian Nation. As an Indigenous student, Nick is passionate about preserving his heritage and sharing his culture with others. He works at the Monacan Ancestral Museum, where he helps showcase the history and traditions of the Monacan people and preserve their history. In his spare time, Nick enjoys fishing, working out, and spending time gardening. After graduating, Nick plans to use his business skills to support his indigenous community and others by helping to create sustainable economic opportunities while preserving their cultural heritage for future generations.

Jamie Raczynski is an intern for MAAV working with both Communications for MAAV, as well as with the 23/54 project. She has lived in Southwest Virginia for most of her life and is currently a student at Virginia Tech studying History and Social Sciences Education. After graduation, she plans on becoming a high school history teacher somewhere in Virginia. She loves learning about and being involved in local Appalachian history, which is why she is so excited to be apart of MAAV, and its projects.

Sophia Spraker, a junior at Virginia Tech, is pursuing a Bachelor's of Science in Marketing Management with a concentration in Digital Marketing Strategy. Raised in Prince William County, VA, Sophia cherishes childhood memories of attending camp in the mountains and has always been captivated by the beauty of Appalachia. With deep family roots in the region, she has developed a profound appreciation and interest in its culture and history through the compelling stories passed down in her family and her exploration of genealogy.As an artist, Sophia is dedicated to shining a spotlight on local artists and the vibrant art scene within Appalachia. Motivated by a desire to amplify the history, culture, and underrepresented communities of the region, she is eager to delve deeper into the strong cultural and historical tapestry woven into the surrounding mountains and valleys.

Sacil (suh-SEEL) Armstrong is a facilitator, writer, and coach who combines self-care and respect with facts to create equitable spaces. With a background in community relations and grassroots projects, Sacil leans into hard discussions that can lead to shifts in thinking and behavior. She works with individuals and organizations to move towards universal inclusion. That way marginalized groups don’t need accommodations because everyone belongs.

David Franusich is a transdisciplinary artist, designer, and creative technologist. He works at the intersection of the physical and the digital to create engaging artworks and immersive experiences. With a background in architecture, graphic design, and photography, his interest in so many aspects of art, design, music, and technology has brought him a diverse range of projects and collaborations—from public art installation creation and exhibit design, to film scoring, and cinematography and video production. David holds a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Technologies from Virginia Tech.

Brandy S. Faulkner, the Gloria D. Smith Professor of Black Studies at Virginia Tech, is also a collegiate assistant professor in the Department of Political Science. A member of the Virginia Tech community since 2012, Faulkner’s scholarship has focused on constitutional aFaulkner is an award-winning teacher, inspiring students to exceed their own expectations for learning, intellectual development, and personal growth. She teaches courses in public administration, constitutional law, administrative law, research methods, and the politics of race, ethnicity, and gender. She has supervised more than 10 undergraduate research students in the areas of law and judicial policy and administrative law, race and public policy, and critical organization theory.

Kevin is a practicing architect whose academic pursuits lie at the intersection of teaching, practice, and community engagement, and he has worked with both urban and rural communities on a variety of community-oriented impact design projects. His experience as a practitioner is diverse in type and scale and includes numerous adaptive reuse projects as well as housing, institutional, community, and cultural works. His design work has been recognized by the Preservation Virginia, the Urban Land Institute, and AIA Virginia, and he prefers white trace paper over yellow trace paper.

greg@greglilly.com

Greg Lilly is a writer, editor, painter, and strategic planner. He grew up in Bristol, Virginia. He’s the founder and past-president of the Williamsburg Book Festival. Today, in Abingdon, Greg serves as the chair of the Town of Abingdon’s Arts Commission and the Virginia Commission for the Arts’ Advisory Panel for Region 1. His focus for the region is expanding the arts for underserved communities, developing arts and entertainment districts, cultivating public art, and establishing municipality arts master plans.

Kate Skelley is an arts administrator, curator, and educator. She serves as an Assistant Professor of Practice and Armory Gallery Director at Virginia Tech in the School of Visual Arts. Kate holds an MA in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University. Before joining Virginia Tech, she worked as Executive Director of the Blacksburg Museum and Cultural Foundation, Director of Programming at the Floyd Center for the Arts, and as Director of the University Art Galleries at the University of South Dakota where she managed two contemporary art galleries, the Oscar Howe Gallery, and the NPIAR Artist-in-Residence Program. Kate's experience also includes working at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum for 8 years where she held positions in both the Curatorial and Advancement Departments. Kate is committed to supporting and promoting artists in the Appalachian region and is passionate about the transformative impact the arts can have on communities.

Shaun Slifer is a multi-disciplinary artist, nonfiction author, and museum professional based in Pittsburgh, a city set inside the flexible cultural boundaries of both Appalachia (a name we call The Land and People) and the Rustbelt (a name we call What We’ve Done to The Land and People). His creative practice fundamentally investigates memory, directly challenging the oppression of currently-dominant historical narratives, both social and ecological.

Shaun regularly works in collaboration with artists and other specialists, and in collectively-structured groups. He has worked as the Creative Director at the award-winning West Virginia Mine Wars Museum since 2015. Shaun is a founding member of the Justseeds Artists’ Cooperative, and an original member of the now-disbanded Howling Mob Society. In 2022, he worked as the lead designer with the community-based public memory project Courage in the Hollers, part of Monument Lab’s 2022 Re:Generation cohort.

Ben was born and raised in Pulaski County and graduated from Radford University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance. He lives in the New River Valley with his daughter Rosalita and wife Priyam. In his spare time, he enjoys attending local events, outdoor activities, and spending time with his family.

Melody Warnick is the author of two books about thriving where you live: This Is Where You Belong: Finding Home Wherever You Are, an exploration of the ground-breaking concept of place attachment, and If You Could Live Anywhere: The Surprising Power of Place in a Work-from-Anywhere World, a guide to how location-independent people choose where to live and how communities can attract and retain them.

Melody has written for the Washington Post, New York Times, Slate, Reader’s Digest, The Guardian, and many others, while her books have been featured in the likes of the New York Times, Time magazine, Fast Company, and Psychology Today. She’s also been a guest on many radio shows and podcasts, including NPR’s Life Kit and ABC Radio Australia.

A regular speaker about how residents can find and create happier communities, Melody lives with her family in Blacksburg, Virginia, where she works as a writer and communications specialist for Virginia Tech.

Founder and Owner of Twin Coves Media, LLC
jen@twincovesmedia.com

Jen is an Experience Designer dedicated to helping individuals, teams and businesses tell their stories with digital experiences that are engaging and intuitive. She has worked in usability design for almost 2 decades and has created and contributed to websites for every industry, including non-profit, the arts, history, and community development as well as healthcare, technology, and more. She is based out of rural Pulaski County, VA.

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203 Graphic Designer

Leeanna Duong is a rising senior at Virginia Tech majoring in Multimedia Journalism with a minor in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Leeanna has lived in Winchester, Virginia for most of her life, which is located in the Shenandoah Valley. She is passionate about storytelling and highlighting the diverse cultural experiences of Appalachian people. Leeanna has many fond memories from growing up in Appalachia, as these landscapes have shaped many aspects of her life and being. She also felt extremely lucky to grow up in a diverse community, where she had many support systems and familiar voices she could relate her experiences to. Leeanna never realized how much your environment shapes your life until she joined this project. She hopes that through their work, she can bring light to more stories and experiences from Appalachia.

Grace Esparza is a Junior at Virginia Tech, majoring in International Relations with a minor in Italian and National Security and Foreign Affairs. Currently residing in Chicago, Illinois, Grace’s family immigrated from Mexico, and she holds a deep appreciation for her cultural roots and strong ties to her community.

With a passion for learning about different cultures, Grace is excited to explore the Appalachian culture and the Latinx community embedded within it. She believes that cultural integration is crucial in promoting understanding throughout Appalachia Virginia, and she is committed to making a positive impact.

Grace also aims to bring the Latinx communities to the forefront of the history of Appalachian culture. She recognizes the significant contributions that these communities have made and continues to advocate for their stories and experiences to be acknowledged and celebrated. Grace believes that organizations like MAAV play a vital role in shedding light on the unheard cultures and stories that can elevate communities.

Grace is eager to immerse herself in projects and initiatives that promote inclusivity and cultural diversity. She sees these opportunities as a chance to get creative and contribute to a more vibrant society.

Bethany Hansel is a senior majoring in International Public Policy and minoring in Arabic. She is passionate about uplifting the voices of underrepresented communities, and is therefore incredibly excited to be participating in a project aimed at illuminating the variety of voices in Appalachian Virginia. Bethany’s grandmother grew up in rural Appalachian Tennessee, and she was always fascinated to hear the stories of her grandmother’s life growing up in a community so radically different from the ones she’d known. Since coming to Virginia Tech, Bethany has loved exploring the natural landscape of Appalachian Virginia, and hopes to continue to learn so much more about the rich culture and history of this beautiful region.

Will is a master’s student in Urban and Regional Planning. He studies how walkability, accessibility, and the “right to the city” have been purposefully designed out of American cities through “reason” and “common sense” that only serve to reinforce the hegemony of capitalist ruling class.

Will grew up in the foothills of the northern Piedmont region in Warrenton, Virginia. He has a long-held admiration for Appalachia due to his family’s roots in West Virginia. From his family’s home in Warrenton, he could see the Blue Ridge Mountains from their backyard, which helped inspire his love for natural beauty of Appalachia.

Before returning to Blacksburg, Will spent a school year as an English teacher in La Rochelle, France. There, he was able to pursue his passion for education while also traveling and experiencing the beauty of European city planning.

Raegan Lamkin is a Political Science student at Virginia Tech. She is very passionate about research in Political Science and hopes to pursue a career in research. Her parents’ hometown, where they grew up and got married, is Haysi, VA.

Although most of Rachel’s childhood was spent on Air Force bases, she often stayed with her family in Haysi. Her grandmother telling stories about Haysi has been behind Rachel’s understanding of Appalachia. When she was in middle school, her dad retired from the military and they permanently moved here. It was an adjustment to the culture. Rachel realized how special it was doing her summer job at Breaks Interstate Park. She was a waitress and often spoke to travelers from all over the world. However, Rachel most loved the people who came back to visit after moving. She loved hearing the stories about the "old" Haysi.

Jodie McCauley is a rising senior majoring in Psychology and Criminology at Virginia Tech. She is very passionate about research, both within and outside of her major, as their findings can be used to tell an important story about society and help create social change. Jodie grew up in Charlottesville - which is not technically in Appalachia - so her understanding of Appalachia is shaped through attending school here. In addition to this, Jodie listens to many Appalachian-based artists that she believes tell stories of their culture through their music.

Rachel Poteet is a Religion and Culture student and prospective seminarian interested in ecotheology and feminist theology. She is also an Appalachian Studies minor, and through her minor has been involved in research on wild harvesting and now with the MAAV project. Her dad’s folks are from Pocahontas County and Meadows of Dan. He raised Rachel on Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch and took her out on the Appalachian Trail for the first time when she was twelve. Music and the forest are still the most meaningful parts of her heritage to her. Rachel is hoping that she can help people experience Appalachia’s story in new and fresh ways as well as familiar ways with this project.

Theo Testa is originally from Fairfax County, Virginia and has spent the last few years living in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. He transferred to Virginia Tech in 2022 and graduated in 2024 with a Bachelor's degree in crop and soil sciences. With a background in environmental science, Theo has a longstanding interest in protecting Appalachian ecology and resources, as well as the people and cultures who rely upon them. Theo is particularly interested in the development of religion and spirituality in human society, and his research interests with MAAV primarily revolve around Native Americans and their struggle to preserve their history. Theo and his wife are currently living in Charlotte, North Carolina, but they hope to return to the mountains very soon. He is incredibly excited to be a part of a project working to document people and places whose stories have gone untold and unknown for so long.

David Vu is a senior majoring in Humanities for Public Service and minors in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Public Health. He has a particular passion in shining a spotlight and providing a voice on underrepresented and underappreciated communities, so he finds MAAV’s mission to highlight the unspoken stories of Appalachian Virginia a perfect fit for him. Since he grew up in the Centreville area, David’s knowledge and understanding of Appalachia has been developed through his experiences at Virginia Tech. David hopes that with MAAV, others will be exposed to and enrich themselves with the captivating stories and culture of Appalachia.

Community Engagement Specialist

Amber Wendler is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech, an Interfaces of Global Change Fellow, and National Science Foundation GRFP Fellow researching birds in Puerto Rico. She has demonstrated a strong commitment to and passion for community engagement work, making STEM and the outdoors more inclusive, and storytelling to amplify voices that have been silenced and excluded. Wendler is a co-editor of Been Outside: Adventures of Black Women, Nonbinary, and Gender Nonconforming People in Nature. She’s involved in many diversity, equity, and inclusion projects, such as the Black Excellence in STEM oral history project with the VT Center for Communicating Science. Wendler also serves as a committee member for the Humble Hikes program, which empowers Black youth in Roanoke, VA and exposes them to outdoor activities.