Liz Vitullo, assistant vice president for economic innovation in the Office of the President, has been selected to join the 2024-25 class of the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Appalachian Leadership Institute.
As one of 40 fellows and only one of four West Virginians, Vitullo will take part in the ALI’s thoughtful yet rigorous leadership training opportunity that equips Appalachian community leaders to use economic development as a tool to drive positive change.
The sixth ALI class comprises a diverse network of public, private and nonprofit leaders from all 13 Appalachian states.
Vice President for Economic Innovation Major General James Hoyer said he isn’t surprised by the ARC’s selection.
“Liz has been demonstrating outstanding leadership across West Virginia and beyond for decades,” Hoyer said. “Her ability to collaborate at WVU and across the state, forge meaningful connections and create lasting economic change in communities statewide is second to none.”
The nine-month curriculum, which kicks off with an orientation session in Knoxville, Tennessee, this week, is anchored by six multi-day seminars across the Appalachian Region. Each seminar focuses on one of the ARC’s strategic investment priorities and includes skill-building workshops, best practice analysis, networking and site visits to see ARC investments in action.
ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin says the Appalachian Leadership Institute supports the enduring work of Appalachia’s changemakers, while helping them advance their skill sets and build upon valuable regional connections with like-minded leaders.
“I send my sincerest congratulations to our newest round of ALI fellows knowing their passion and purpose will ensure an even more vibrant future for Appalachia’s communities,” Manchin said.
The 2024-25 Class of ALI fellows were selected via a competitive application process to reflect the Appalachian region’s wide range of economic development challenges, opportunities and strategies.
“I’m excited to further connect with the ARC and meet more Appalachian colleagues,” Vitullo said. “WVU has received two ARC POWER grants this cycle, totaling more than $2.5 million. We also continue to successfully operate the West Virginia Grant Resource Centers, funded through the ARC and the state. Through the centers, we have helped bring almost $40 million to the state and we hope to expand these opportunities in the future with additional collaboration through the ARC.”
Upon completion of the program, fellows will continue to build and share knowledge with hundreds of other leaders in the Appalachian Leadership Institute Alumni Network, a peer working group fostering collaborative solutions to build a stronger future for Appalachia.