Appalachian Studies Academic Programs

Jessica Blackburn 2000, is a Ph.D. student in Composition and Rhetoric at the University of Arkansas. Her work is focused on the intersection of feminist theory and composition studies.

Theresa E. Burchett 2001, lives in Gray, TN and has been the Director of the B. Carroll Reece Museum at the Center for Appalachian Studies and Services at East Tennessee State University since March 2005. She was recently was named the Director of the Appalachian Studies Minor at ETSU.  B. Carroll Reece Museum | Center for Appalachian Studies and Services | theresaburchett@hotmail.com | burchete@etsu.edu

Edward J. Cabbell 1982, is the curator of the John Henry Center for Culture and History Exchange and director of the John Henry Festival and Conference. Find out more about the John Henry Center by writing or calling PO Box 1172, Morgantown, WV 26507, (304) 292-0767.

Whitney Kimball Coe 2008, has taken a position at the Center for Rural Strategies in Knoxville, TN.

Nancy Collins 1999, has changed her name to "Anita Mann," and is thoroughly enjoying her new job at Sherwin Williams, where she's fulfilling her life-long dream to be a mountain mover and "shaker." Still lazy after all these years, she can sometimes be spotted wandering the ASU campus looking for a parking place, and/or dodging UFO's. Her greatest accomplishment in life (thus far) is the not-one, not-two, but THREE tickets she has successfully wormed her way out of. She would like to thank the ASU Parking Nazi's and her parole officer for their support.

Dave Cozzo 1999,  is now Dr. Dave. He is the Project Director for the Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources (http://www.rtcar.org) and, with intensive training in yogic breathing, he will soon be able to say his title in one breath. cozzod@wcu.edu

Dottie Demarest 1999, is the Genealogy and Local History librarian with the East Central Georgia Regional Library System, living in Augusta, Georgia. Genealogy and Local History, East Central Georgia Public Library, 902 Greene St., Augusta, GA 30901 | 706.821.2600 | Fax 706.821.2629 | demarestd@ecgrl.org

Trish Kilby Fore 2003, accepted a job as a library assistant in Technical Services at the Galax-Carroll Regional Library in Galax, VA. Her main duties include tending the circulation and information desks, cataloging books, compiling monthly reports, and troubleshooting computer problems. On two occasions she was named acting-director when the library's regional director was away. In August 2007 Trish enrolled in Florida State University's Library and Information Studies master's degree program at a distance. Upon completion of the degree in two years, she hopes to obtain a position as a regional library director. In her spare time, Trish continues to enjoy playing the banjo at local square dances, fiddler's conventions, and community events. Her husband, Kevin, is also an accomplished clawhammer banjo player and plays with the Galax, Virginia-based group, Southern Pride, winners of the 2007 Galax Old-Time Band contest. He is also beginning to build banjos in the Kyle Creed tradition, fretted and fretless with gold-flecked formica. They are doing well in Lowgap, NC, on the banks of Camp Creek with our cat, Otis. BREAKING NEWS: I finally won 1st place in the clawhammer banjo contest at the Galax Fiddlers' Convention!!! It was truly a dream come true. I had been trying to win for 14 years!

Ashley Crabtree Grindstaff 2005, is the Executive Director of the Yancey County/Burnsville Chamber of Commerce (http://www.yanceychamber.com). She moved to North Carolina and married Ben Grindstaff who is also an Appalachian grad. ashleycrabtree44@hotmail.com

Leigh Ann Henion 2005, is a freelance writer and photographer based in Boone, NC. Her essays and articles have appeared or are forthcoming in publications such as the Washington Post Magazine, Smithsonian, the Christian Science Monitor and Orion. Additionally, Leigh Ann teaches writing in the English Department at Appalachian State University. Please visit www.leighannhenion.com to learn more about her work.

Eddie Huffman 2004, has entered the UNC Ph.D. program in Anthropology with a full, renewable scholarship for next year. Eddie continues to do contract work for the Folklife Section of NCAC and NC Folklore Institute.

Phil Jamison is a nationally-known dance caller, old-time musician, and flatfoot dancer. He has called dances, performed, and taught music throughout the U.S. and overseas, including more than thirty years as a member of the Green Grass Cloggers. His flatfoot dancing was featured in the film Songcatcher for which he al- so served as Traditional Dance Consultant. He toured and played guitar with Ralph Blizard and the New Southern Ramblers, but he also plays fiddle and banjo. In 2004, he co-founded Dare To Be Square!, a weekend workshop for square dance callers. Phil’s forthcoming book about the history of Appalachian dance, “Hoedowns, Reels, and Frolics,” will be published by the University of Illinois Press in 2015. Phil teaches mathematics as well as Appalachian music and Appalachian studies at Warren Wilson College, where he also coordinates the Old-Time Music and Dance Week at the Swannanoa Gathering.

Kim Johnson 2000, is Managing Editor of The Mountain Times, Boone, NC.

Caroline Knight 2003,  is currently employed as an Assistant District Attorney General for the State of Tennessee Thirteenth Judicial District, and her office address is 116 Rector Avenue, Crossville, Tennessee 38555. Her interests include hiking, running and staying in touch with long-distance friends.

Kristyn McGraw 2000, is working as a College Bookstore Manager for Sodexo Corporation at Spartanburg Methodist College. She is a teacher by calling and passionate about education. Previously she was a teacher and educator in Southern Illinois working for a children's science museum where she developed interactive science and math programs and exhibits. She worked in 27 counties with children, teachers, future teachers, state educational agencies and many others.

Tamara McNaughton 2007, works as the Agriculture Program Manager for Appalachian Sustainable Development. She coordinates programs focused on strengthening the local food economies in Virginia and Tennessee including Rooted in Appalachia and the Appalachian Farmers Market Association and that association’s Local Food Guide. She is also a certified organic farmer of two acres and the Fee Waiver Coordinator for Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group.

John Mongle is a radio reporter for WVTF Public Radio.

Susan Pepper 2008, teaches Diversity in Appalachia and Appalachia: An Introduction (Humanities) for Appalachian Studies at ASU and is also with the Avery County JAM program. susan_pepper@hotmail.com

Sarah Poteete 2003, currently works as the donor relations coordinator for the University Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she is constantly and gladly in the thick of things. The most recent fascinating thing that has happened to her has been her marriage to her beau of six years, Eddie Huffman, who also graduated from App Studies. They are living in Carrboro, which is quite different than Chapel Hill. poteetesp@hotmail.com

Danielle Rector Quales 2009, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Folklore, Indiana Univeristy, Bloomington, IN.

Stephanie Roark Keener can be reached at skeener73@charter.net.

Travis Rountree 2007, is an adjunct instructor in the ASU English department and taught Appalachian Culture for the Duke TIP program at ASU summer 2008. rountreeta@appstate.edu

William Schultz 2012, is a Cataloging Librarian at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL, after having held a similar position in Belk Library at ASU for almost 5 years. He would be happy to hear from other alumni and his contact information can be found through the EIU website. Cataloging Librarian | wnschultz@eiu.edu

Julie Shepher-Powell 2005, is beginning a Ph.D. program in Anthropology at the University of Kentucky in fall 2008. She plans to study grassroots organizing around coal in eastern Kentucky. Julie "tied the knot" in May 2008, and she spends her free time with her husband (and fiddle player) Adrian Shepherd-Powell at fiddlers' conventions--playing banjo and dancing. oldtimejulie@yahoo.com

Amy Sparrow Potts 2002, is field representative for the Rural Heritage Development Initiative-a three-year pilot program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in collaboration with Preservation Kentucky and funded through the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to help develop and implement preservation-based economic development strategies in eight Kentucky counties. For more information visit www.preservationkentucky.org. Amy resides in Harrodsburg Kentucky with her husband Craig.National Trust for Historic Preservation | Preservation Kentucky | amy@preservationkentucky.org | asparrow@hotmail.com

Anna Rachel Terman 2009, is a dual-title Ph.D. student at The Pennsylvania State University in Rural Sociology and Women's Studies. She is working as a research assistant on a project titled "Doing Food Work: Practices of Gendered Inequalities in (re)productive Labor in the U.S. Food System" funded by the National Science Foundation.

Sara Harris Thum 2004, finally tied the knot with her main squeeze, Ryan--it was a fun, beautiful mountain (valley) wedding in Blacksburg, VA. Ryan is studying for the Bar and has accepted a job in Roanoke, while Sara is still working for NC State Libraries, when she is not crocheting, perfecting her EAD, chasing her two dogs, or watering her garden, etc., etc. We are looking forward to getting settled in Roanoke soon! Sara_Harris@ncsu.edu

Justan Treadway 2007, completed the M.A. in Appalachian Studies in Fall 2004. He is currently working for the American Museum of Natural History in New York City as an Anthropology Educator for the Moveable Museum Program. This involves tremendous fearlessness while driving a 37' Winnebago around Manhattan, and the continuous search for the proper Brooklyn pronunciation of "y'all." Moveable Museum Program | treadway@amnh.org

Jim Veteto 2005, has accepted a job as assistant professor of Anthropology at the University of North Texas. Jim and family are moving to Denton in early July. His new email is James.Veteto@unt.edu. He will also continue to conduct agrobiodiversitry and sustainable communities research in Western North Carolina during the summers. James.Veteto@unt.edu

Henry J. (Hank) Weaver 1989, retired ASU Police Department, June 2001. Moved to Research Triangle or Piedmont Triad in Fall 2001. Enrolled in Continuing Ed at Duke University. (828) 773-2016 (cell phone/voice mail)

Rachel Westrom 2009, is pursuing a career in Occupational Therapy at West Virginia University.

Marc Williams is executive director of Plants and Healers International in Asheville, North Carolina, and serves on the board of directors of the Appalachian Institute for Mountain Studies. He has studied the people-plant connection intensively while learning to employ botanicals for food, medicine, and beauty. Marc added a graduate minor in geography and planning to his Master of Arts degree in Appalachian studies while at Appalachian State University. He has spent over a decade working at restaurants and farms with a focus on sustainability and has visited over one hundred botanical gardens and research institutions during extensive travel in the United States and abroad. Marc has taken thousands of pictures of representative plants during these visits and taught clients about the world of plants, people, and their interface while working with over fifty organizations in the last few years.