STRONGacc

05/23/2026

After five years of dedicated leadership, we share that Mark Cruise will retire as Director of the STRONG ACC effective June 30, 2026.

Since 2021, Mark has helped lead and strengthen a nationally recognized cradle-to-career collaborative serving Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Through his visionary and servant-hearted leadership, the STRONG ACC has expanded partnerships, advanced collective impact strategies, and worked alongside communities to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families across our region.

As we celebrate Mark’s tremendous impact and legacy, we are also looking ahead with excitement for the next chapter of this work.
The STRONG ACC has officially launched the search for its next Director. We are seeking a collaborative, strategic, and passionate leader committed to advancing economic mobility and opportunity for the next generation across our region.

👉We invite you to learn more, apply, and share this opportunity with your networks - http://bit.ly/4wznP5s

Thank you, Mark, for your leadership, partnership, and unwavering commitment to this region and its future.

05/22/2026

Another outstanding SWVA Economic Forum is in the books. Congrats to the team at The University of Virginia's College at Wise for putting on a great event! The STRONG Accountable Care Community was grateful to be a sponsor. It was a pleasure meeting and catching up with partners as well as making new connections.

The energy inside the David J. Prior Convocation Center at UVA Wise was unmistakable Thursday as community leaders, business owners, educators and residents packed the house for the annual SWVA Economic Forum. The crowd gathered not only to discuss the future of Southwest Virginia, but also to welcome keynote speaker Abigail D. Spanberger, making her first-ever visit to the College as Virginia’s governor.

Throughout the day, attendees filled every available seat as conversations continued around innovation, tourism, housing and the future of Southwest Virginia. Other speakers included Vijay Srinivasan, President of U.S. Commercial and State Government Operations at CGI, and Amanda Weinstein, Ph.D., Director of Research at the Center on Rural Innovation.

Read more about the day: www.uvawise.edu/strategic-engagement-government-relations/news/2026/05/uva-wise-hosts-successful-2026-swva-economic

05/14/2026

The STRONG ACC was proud to sponsor yesterday’s membership breakfast at the Chamber of Commerce of Smyth County, Inc. It was great seeing many of our partners in attendance as well as meeting a number of people who are interested in joining our work.

Dan Minahan, Vice Chair of the STRONG ACC Leadership Council, and Mark Cruise, Director, spoke about how organizations can participate in the STRONG ACC’s regional agenda spanning early childhood development through career pathways leading to thriving wage employment.

05/13/2026

Happy anniversary HOLA Lakeway!

05/12/2026

Happy 12th anniversary to our partner, HOLA Lakeway! We were delighted to attend the Open House, watch the beautiful micro-theater performance: “Chronicles of the Deep Ocean” and see the amazing visual arts exhibition and book presentation: “Traces of Color, Letters on the Heart.” We are so proud of the work you’re doing with children, youth, and families in Hamblen County!

05/12/2026

Thank you EO for hosting the the annual Ready Region Southwest Coalition Gathering! The day was thoughtfully designed around reflection, motivation, connection and goal-setting; celebrating a year of impactful coalition work while also sharing an inspiring look ahead at the upcoming year’s strategies. Thank you for including STRONG ACC in this special day!

04/25/2026

🎓This week, we reached an outstanding milestone for our Supported and Second-Chance Employment Workgroup. Six parents/caregivers completed the FoundersForge Avante Small Business Bootcamp program at the Johnson City Recovery Center, where they learned practical business-building skills while in recovery.

We were thrilled to see their success during the Pitch Night celebration. 🎉

A huge congratulations to Tanner "Tater" Dyer, the winner, who is launching a mechanic repair business for outdoor equipment, and to Courtney Campbell, our runner-up, who is becoming a realtor focused on affordable housing through HUD. We’re incredibly proud of their determination and grateful to JCRC and FoundersForge for their partnership in making this possible. The future of these families is bright, and we can’t wait to see them grow! 🌱

04/23/2026

Long post ‼️

Last week, our team had the opportunity to attend the Partners for Rural Impact in Buffalo—and we’re returning energized, inspired, and ready to lean in.
Over two and a half days, we experienced something powerful: a true sense of togetherness across rural communities from across the country.

⭐️Leaders, practitioners, and partners showed up fully—sharing not just ideas, but real examples of what’s working.

🤝From innovative partnerships to place-based solutions, there was a clear willingness to lift up bright spots and openly exchange lessons learned.
What stood out most was the spirit of generosity. The strategies shared weren’t presented as one-size-fits-all answers, but as adaptable approaches that can be shaped to meet the unique needs of each community. That mindset aligns deeply with our work across our region.

🎉We’re especially excited to apply what we’ve learned as we continue strengthening innovative partnerships along the cradle-to-career continuum—ensuring that young people in our communities have both strong roots and real wings: grounded in who they are and where they come from, while also connected to opportunity, choice, and possibility.

We’re grateful to Partners for Rural Impact for providing this experience for our team!

04/20/2026

What an incredible day at the Northeast Tennessee Day of Play! 🎉

Hosted by the STRONG ACC Northeast Tennessee Early Care and Education Workgroup at Unicoi County High School, this free community event brought together nearly 40 organizations with a shared mission: supporting children and families.

From hands-on, developmentally appropriate learning activities to connecting families with valuable community resources; and even introducing college students to careers in early childhood education—the day was full of purpose and fun.

We were especially honored to have State Representative Renea Jones lead a special book reading, along with a visit from the Unicoi County Schools Aspire Book Bus, keeping literacy at the heart of the event.

A heartfelt thank you to all participating organizations, Dr. Bogart and Vicki Ledford (Unicoi County High School), the Early Childhood Education students and faculty from Northeast Community College, and the Tennessee Child Care Resource and Referral Network for helping make this event possible. Thanks also to Haley Glenn for being the event photographer!

Because school readiness starts with supporting the whole child—and the whole family. 💙

04/10/2026

Not sure what to expect at the STRONG Kids Foster Care Summit? Here's the deal:

✅ Meet reps from TN Dept. of Children's Services & VA Dept. of Social Services

✅ Talk directly with private agencies who license and support foster families

✅ Get real answers about training, requirements, and what support looks like

✅ No pressure. Just information and people who genuinely want to help.

Please share with families who are interested in learning more about foster care.

April 30 | 4–7 PM | Bristol Motor Speedway 🔗 Free to attend — register at https://tinyurl.com/5cvtya6e