Our Staff

Kevin began working for the Commission in 2005 as a Regional Planner and was appointed Executive Director in October 2009. He has close to 20 years of community development experience in the public sector at the town, county, and regional levels of government along with private sector consulting experience. He has a Masters degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Tech and a Bachelor of Science degree from Appalachian State University.

He is a past president of the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), and currently serving as Secretary/Treasurer of the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions, and is on the Board of Directors for Carilion Clinic-NRV; the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce; Live, Work, Eat, Grow, Inc.; and the Southeast Regional Directors Institute.

He has received the Distinguished Business Leader of the Year Award from the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce along with the President’s Award from both the National Association of Development Organizations and the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions. Through a collaborative leadership model, the New River Valley Regional Commission has been recognized as a Best Place to Work by the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce.

When not working, you can often find Kevin running the roads and trails around the region or wetting a line in search of fish.

Kathleen joined the Commission as a Regional Planner in 2021 after completing a master’s in Landscape Architecture at North Carolina State University. During her time at NCSU, she became intrigued with participatory design theory and worked to create implementable tools for diverse communities across the region. Kathleen has worked in the community engagement field for the past 6 years, in both experiential education and food access. At the commission, Kathleen focuses on communication and community outreach. She is passionate about assisting local partners envision the future of their region and connect to the environment.

Jessica joined the Commission in March 2018 as a part-time finance technician following 2 years as the Supervisor of Finance for a local school district. Prior to her work in school finance, she spent over 10 years in public accounting, with the most recent being in the tax department of a regional accounting firm.

Jessica holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy from Bluefield State College in West Virginia. She is a licensed CPA in WV and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Kim joined the Regional Commission in 2022. Originally from Michigan, she earned her BFA in Visual Communications from Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids. Kim has a background in graphic design and marketing, specializing in work with nonprofits and small businesses. Outside the office, Kim enjoys painting, illustration, and photography.

Aphi joined the commission as a regional planner in 2017 after working in Florida for 8 years. Before relocating to Virginia, she worked extensively with long range and current planning as the Senior Planner at the City of Titusville, and the City Planner at the City of Cocoa Beach Florida. Aphi was heavily involved with updating the city comprehensive plans, including compliance with water supply concurrency, working with staff, various boards, commissions and the community. She played a key role in Greater Titusville EcoHeritage Trail Plan, and was a staff liaison to the Titusville Environmental Commission.

Aphi holds a Masters degree in Water Resource Planning and Management from the University of Florida, a Masters in Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, and a Bachelors in Civil Engineering from NERIST, India. She has also completed an intensive study program in Urban Ecological Planning as a NORAD fellow in Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Holly Lesko was recently promoted to Program Director, Community Health at the Commission. This new role is another expansion of her evolving community health and well-being work here. Holly has been active in supporting the region and Commission since 1992 when she was hired as the inaugural Economic Development planner for the organization and was promoted to senior planner during her 7 year tenure until 1999 when she transitioned to part time consultant to give more time to raising young children at home. Holly continued to be involved in community development and planning through her work and civic service including on Blacksburg’s planning commission from 2001-2007 and was appointed as the Town of Blacksburg’s community representative to the Commission in 2005 and served as Chair of the Commission from 2007-2012. Holly went on to secure funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to support work at the Commission within the context of the Livability Initiative in 2014. This funding offered the opportunity for Community Health (especially in the context of rural youth and underlying social determinants of health) as a focal point within that critical regional initiative. She again was hired by the Commission as an employee in the fall of 2020 to support the Business Continuity Team’s work with schools. Holly’s role grew and flexed as the needs of businesses, local governments and the health district’s needs and processes adapted to community and economic impacts from COVID. This new position will continue to support health and well-being across the region through expanded partnerships, resources seeking, and facilitated engagement and support. This work is focused on supporting community wellbeing with public and private entities across the region through education, health and wellness guidance, resource seeking and collaboration. In her first weeks in the new role, Holly led the development of a collaborative regional application to the Opioid Abatement Authority to support a recovery ecosystem approach to the opioid crisis in the New River Valley. The proposal involved all five of the regional jurisdictions as well as multiple regional organizations deeply rooted in the services and expertise to address this crisis.

Holly has worked with communities and organizations in the New River Valley region and across the Commonwealth for the past 30+ years and her focus in community development is on creating spaces and processes to enhance new ways of viewing and approaching issues and concepts through inclusive and diverse engagement.

Janet is a life-long resident of Pulaski County. After twenty-five years in the banking field she joined the Regional Commission in September of 1999 as a Project Manager. While serving as a Project Manager she worked on a number of community projects including a transitional housing center in Radford as well as the Commerce Center and Jacksonville Center in Floyd. In January 2012 Janet was promoted to Director of Finance and Personnel a position she held until retiring in September 2019. She has been in the part-time Finance Technician role since November 2019.

Chris joined the Regional Commission in December 2022. She has over 15 years of combined private and public sector experience in grant and project management including six years with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Through her experience, she has been involved in a wide variety of community development and economic development projects, including water and sewer infrastructure, housing, brownfield redevelopment, community service facilities, downtown revitalization and broadband implementation.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Geography with a minor in environmental studies from Emory & Henry College. She also holds a Master of Arts Degree in Community and Organizational Leadership from Emory & Henry College, as well. Chris has a passion for assisting communities with planning, development and implementation of projects that not only improve the overall community, but also enhance the quality of life for the citizens of these communities.

Bethany joined the Commission in March 2021. She began as a planning intern and was hired as an Information Specialist in May 2022. She is passionate about supporting community outreach and education initiatives while creating a high level of accessibility to Commission resources by communicating ideas through technology and art. Her role is to develop and maintain content for the Commission’s website projects and publications.

Bethany has a creative background with a Bachelors in Music Education from Radford University, and transitioned into the information technology field with a web development degree and design certificates from NRCC. She is a life-long resident of the New River Valley.

Julie joined the Regional Commission in 2012 as Office Manager after working for a local remodeling firm for 6 1/2 years. Julie serves as staff support to the Regional Commission board of directors as well as support for the Commission convening role through Member Services. She also provides staff support for the Commission’s finance role for the New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Investment Board, New River Valley Commerce Park, Virginia Recycling Association, and the Southwest Virginia Solid Waste Managers Association. Julie has a Bachelor of Science degree in Design from Radford University.

Hannah joined the Commission in June 2022 as the Regional Cartographer and Geospatial Analyst. Her role at the Commission is to support the Commission’s diverse projects via geospatial data collection, analysis, and visualization. Hannah cares deeply about socially and ecologically sustainable development. Prior to joining the Commission, Hannah was a GIS technician and instructor in the Department of Geography and Earth Science at UNC Charlotte, where she also completed her PhD in geography. Her dissertation was on green burial co-creative placemaking in the United States. She believes geography is a beautiful blend of science, creativity, and community.

Hannah received her BS in biology from Meredith College in 2014 and her MS in ecology from UNC Chapel Hill in 2017. She is a Carolina Tar Heel at heart, but is quickly falling in love with Virginia and the New River Valley Region.

Eli joined the New River Valley Regional Commission in 2009. As Deputy Executive Director, Eli is responsible for managing the agency-wide annual work program and executing the day-to-day operational activities of the agency. In addition, Eli has the distinct pleasure of leading the planning and GIS team, who contribute to more than 40 projects across the New River Valley each year.

Eli has over fifteen years of combined private and public sector experience in rural and urban transportation planning, conceptual design, community and land development, agriculture, grant writing and administration, public engagement, and stormwater management. Eli enjoys working with state and local partners on collaborative projects that bring community visions to life.

Eli has a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering Technology and a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Engineering Technology, from Bluefield State College, WV. He currently serves as the Vice Chair of the NRVMPO Technical Advisory Committee, Co-Chair of the NRV Regional Transit Coordinating Council, as a representative on the National Rural Planning Organization Council of Peers, and is a founding member of the American Society for Highway Engineers, Blue Ridge Chapter. Prior to joining the Commission, Eli was a Civil Engineer for a private consulting firm in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Ryan Stanley joined the Commission in 2023 as a Community Health Intern. She is beginning her 2nd year in the Master of Public Health program at Virginia Tech with concentrations in Infectious Disease and Community Health Promotion and Equity. Ryan will be supporting the commission's work to address opioid addiction in the region focusing on harm reduction and supporting the development and implementation of an anti-stigma campaign around opioid use, treatment and prevention. Ryan is from Roanoke and earned her B.S. in Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise at Virginia Tech in 2021. Outside of work, she enjoys taking classes, teaching undergraduate students biology, as well as hiking, floating on the New River, or patronizing her favorite restaurant in Blacksburg, Greens!

Christy has been a Regional Planner with the Commission since 2008. Her work program with the Commission spans a range of planning topics including hazard mitigation planning, transportation demand management, grant administration for community development, and economic development. She serves on the board of the Rural Planning Caucus of Virginia and is active in the Association for Commuter Transportation. Her background includes a degree in journalism from Ohio University and over a decade in marketing and sales for engineering and environmental services firms.

Emily joined the Commission in March 2022. She is a recent graduate from Radford University where she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Finance as well as a certification in Excel. While in school, she was Vice President of Sigma Alpha Omega, an organization that strived to do community service wherever possible. She organized and ran fundraisers to help local business and shelters. She has recently moved to the New River Valley full time and has joined the Commission to help make an impact in her community.

Jennifer joined the Commission in 2007. She works extensively with affordable housing and community development projects throughout the region, including the completion of the Regional + Local Housing Study in 2021. She is inspired by the collaborative way the Commission approaches all its work and the ability to pursue and grow relationships with funders, localities, and citizens. Jennifer is a Virginia Tech alum, a photography aficionado, and a supporter of the oxford comma.