Virginia Rural Center

Virginia Rural Center The VRC is a partnership of the Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr.

Center for Rural Virginia and the Council for Rural Virginia, working to enhance economic opportunities in rural Virginia.

Yesterday, the Virginia Rural Center Board met in Culpeper, bringing together leaders committed to advancing rural commu...
05/05/2026

Yesterday, the Virginia Rural Center Board met in Culpeper, bringing together leaders committed to advancing rural communities across the Commonwealth.

We are especially grateful to Rappahannock Electric Cooperative for hosting us and providing such a welcoming and collaborative space for our meeting.

We were honored to be welcomed by REC President & CEO, John Hewa, and to hear from our longtime friend Heidi Hertz, who recently stepped into her new role as Director of the Office of Rural Health Transformation. Heidi delivered an impactful presentation highlighting this important new initiative focused on strengthening healthcare access and outcomes in rural Virginia.

We would also like to congratulate our leadership elected at yesterday’s Board meeting. We are grateful for their continued leadership, dedication and service to rural Virginia:

☑️Center Chair: Senator Creigh Deeds
☑️Center Vice Chair: Senator Emily Jordan

☑️Council Chair: Bryan David
☑️Council Vice Chair: Beth Green

Thank you to all who continue to support and champion rural communities across Virginia.

And that’s a wrap from Southside VA for the 2026 Cohort! Thank you to Danville and South Boston for your hospitality. ...
04/24/2026

And that’s a wrap from Southside VA for the 2026 Cohort! Thank you to Danville and South Boston for your hospitality.

Next stop: The Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck!

A special welcome to the 9th Senate District! Senator Tammy Mulchi greeted the cohort to her home district and wished ...
04/24/2026

A special welcome to the 9th Senate District! Senator Tammy Mulchi greeted the cohort to her home district and wished them a great time during their stay.

“You’ll make so many great friends through this program that will carry on long after it concludes.” Jennifer Stevens, a...
04/24/2026

“You’ll make so many great friends through this program that will carry on long after it concludes.”

Jennifer Stevens, a South Boston native and 2024 alum, joined the group to reflect on her experience and offer some perspective to the newest class.

Rural Virginia is growing — and the data backs it up. Hamilton Lombard with the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service ...
04/24/2026

Rural Virginia is growing — and the data backs it up. Hamilton Lombard with the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia unpacked decades of population trends, revealing significant migration into rural communities across the Commonwealth over the last decade.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The numbers tell a compelling story about why more people are choosing rural localities.

Thanks to SOVA Innovation Hub and Mid-Atlantic Broadband for an incredible tour of their coworking and community space i...
04/24/2026

Thanks to SOVA Innovation Hub and Mid-Atlantic Broadband for an incredible tour of their coworking and community space in South Boston!

Jeremy Satterfield of Microsoft TechSpark joined to discuss how Southside Virginia is cultivating homegrown talent — p...
04/24/2026

Jeremy Satterfield of Microsoft TechSpark joined to discuss how Southside Virginia is cultivating homegrown talent — partnering with Southside Virginia Community College and the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center to grow IT and STEM opportunities from K-12 through higher education.

Lauren Mathena, Director of Economic Development & Community Engagement at Mid-Atlantic Broadband and SOVA Innovation Hu...
04/24/2026

Lauren Mathena, Director of Economic Development & Community Engagement at Mid-Atlantic Broadband and SOVA Innovation Hub, shared the importance of a community's readiness and entrepreneurial mindset in order to set themselves up for growth and success.

"Stay active. The key to longevity is it's hard to hit a moving target."A warm welcome to South Boston along with some g...
04/24/2026

"Stay active. The key to longevity is it's hard to hit a moving target."

A warm welcome to South Boston along with some great advice this morning from Carlyle Wimbish, board member of the Council for Rural Virginia, as the cohort kicks off their third and final day in Southside!

A perfect night on the The Bee Hotel rooftop for our Alumni Reception! Cohort members past and present came together to...
04/24/2026

A perfect night on the The Bee Hotel rooftop for our
Alumni Reception! Cohort members past and present came together to connect after a packed second day.

We were honored to have Bryan David, Chair of the Council for Rural Virginia and Program Director Program Director, ​Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia/GO Virginia Region 3 welcome the group to Southside VA — and a special thanks to The Honorable Les Adams for joining us as well!

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201 N 9th St
Richmond, VA
23219

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