Will Warren
Hometown:
Chagrin Falls, OH
Connect: LinkedIn
Will is excited to work directly with the region’s leaders and organizations and be a small part of the region’s bright future ahead. As a native, he is well aware of the incredible opportunities the region possesses and looks forward to utilizing his skills and knowledge to uplift Appalachia’s unique assets and help identify unified development processes and systems.
Will Warren was born and raised in Eastern Kentucky and professionally has worked for almost two decades in various capacities to create economic and community development opportunities. An expert in small community economic redevelopment, he is a recent graduate of the Appalachian Leadership Institute (ALI), a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) and an Entrepreneurship Development Professional (EDP). He currently has focused his professional work as a consultant revitalizing distressed and underdeveloped communities throughout the Appalachian region and beyond. Throughout his career he has managed public and private development projects in a variety of domestic locations (both large and small as well as urban and rural) and has experience at the local, regional, state, and federal levels focused on financial analysis and feasibility, sustainable growth and equitable community investment.
He holds a BS in Chemistry/Biology from Western Kentucky University and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Kentucky. He currently resides on the fringe of Appalachia Ohio with his wife – Christine; three children – Wrenn, Parkes and Boden; and German Shorthaired Pointer – Derby.
Tune into his podcast Appalachia Meets World.
ERC Project
Project Title:
Uniting Eastern Kentucky under One Regional Economic Development Action Plan
Host Community or Region:
Eastern Kentucky
Host Organization:
Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR)
"Uniting Eastern Kentucky Under One Regional Economic Development Action Plan” project seeks to address economic challenges resulting from the coal industry's decline with a comprehensive, evidence-based strategy across Eastern Kentucky. The ERC Fellow’s role is to conduct rigorous economic research and outreach, collaborate with and engage local stakeholders, and unify regional development plans and economic priorities for 54 Appalachian counties. The project requires a deep understanding of the region's unique history, culture, and opportunities in order to develop tools and facilitate events to empower community-driven economic growth. The end goal is a universally-endorsed plan for Eastern Kentucky’s economic revival and ensuring the benefits of planning and development are equitably distributed throughout the region.
Interested in supporting this project or learning more? Contact the ERC program team here.
