Fostering Solutions

Dural is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of KYFC, Inc. Through partnership and mission focused drive, Dural has been able to apply leadership and community support to strategies designed to meet individual and collective social needs of family and community. Since 2006, Dural and his team of committed volunteers and professionals have been able to positively impact community wellness by moving forward school and community-based social programs developed to promote positive social and health outcomes.

Ms. Lansdale is the President/CEO of the Center for Rural Health Development, Inc.. She joined the Center in 1994 and brings over 40 years’ experience in health and health care resulting from her work in both the private and public health sectors. The Center is a private nonprofit that works to strengthen West Virginia’s health care system and improve the health of West Virginians.

Before entering public health, Sharon worked as a hospital pharmacist, including serving as the director of pharmacy at a hospital in Charleston. As a hospital pharmacist she was engaged in educating patients with diabetes about how to manage their diabetes once discharged from the hospital. This led her to the WV Bureau for Public Health where she developed the Bureau’s first diabetes control program. After serving as a consultant at the Bureau for about 10 years, she became the Director of the Division of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention. In this role, she managed the development of several chronic disease control programs and community health improvement programs such as Planned Approach to Community Health (PATCH) and Community-Oriented Primary Care (COPC).

Through her role at both the WV Bureau for Public Health and Center she has focused on the health and health care needs of rural communities in West Virginia. The Center created the WV Rural Health Infrastructure Loan Fund to provide a source of affordable capital financing for health care providers and organizations in the state. Since 2001, the Center has partnered with banks and other funders to leverage over $65 million in health care infrastructure improvements in the state.

Throughout her work at the Center, Sharon has focused on the linkages between both health and health care and economic development. In fall 2018, recognizing that community health and economic prosperity are inextricably linked, the Center launched Wild, Wonderful and Healthy West Virginia. Through Wild, Wonderful and Healthy West Virginia the Center works to strengthen the capacity of communities to improve the health of residents and create a community culture that supports entrepreneurial and small business development.

Sharon has received recognition for her work to address health and health care disparities, especially in rural and under-served communities throughout her career. Recent recognition of note includes the CDC’s Childhood Immunization Champion Award in 2012 and the Health Innovator Award by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation in 2019 in recognition of the Foundation’s 75th Anniversary.

Sarah began her career with the YMCA of Kanawha Valley in August 2020 where she serves as the President and CEO. The YMCA of Kanawha Valley is comprised of the Charleston Family Y and the Cross Lanes YMCA Child Development Center with $4.5 million in annual revenue. Prior to the Y, Sarah served as the WV Executive Director for the American Heart Association for close to a decade. Before then, she held various roles in pharmaceutical sales. Sarah is a graduate of West Virginia University and holds a degree in Public Relations. Sarah resides in Charleston with her husband Brian, and their young son Willie.

A native of Charleston West Virginia, Stephanie Tyree is the Executive Director of the WV Community Development Hub (The Hub). 

With fifteen years of experience in policy, community development and community organizing, she has dedicated her career to advancing community-based, systemic solutions for rural, coal-impacted communities in Central Appalachia. Her primary area of expertise has centered around developing tools to drive community collaboration, leadership engagement, and community-driven change to build strong resilient rural communities.

Since joining the WV Community Development Hub in 2012, Stephanie has created the organization’s community-based policy program, expanded the organization’s footprint to better serve communities in southern West Virginia, led research and evaluation processes relating to rural community development in West Virginia, including publishing the WV Community Development Innovation Report and the 6 Best Practices of Rural Community Building, and has elevated the leadership of the organization within regional and national community economic development fields. She has secured over $20 million in funding over the past 8 years to support The Hub’s work, helping to funnel significant resources to WV communities served by Hub programs. 

Stephanie is passionate about identifying innovative strategies to address barriers to community investments for rural downtown development in West Virginia. She is inspired by the leadership growth and local transformations she has seen West Virginia communities achieve when they are provided with the tools, support, and resources to execute their vision for development and when rural development barriers are collaboratively addressed.

Stephanie has an undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a law degree from NYU School of Law. She was recognized as a “WV Wonder Woman” by WV Living Magazine in 2016, was a recipient of The State Journal’s “Next Generation: 40 Under 40” award in 2018, was a 2016 BALLE Fellow, and a 2021 Fulcrum Fellow with the Center for Community Investment. She currently serves on the WV Community Development Advisory Boards for Wesbanco and Truist banks. Additionally, she is a member of the Fayette County West Virginia Library Board, the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation Board of Directors, and is the Chair of the Board of Directors for Invest Appalachia, a regional impact investment fund serving rural Appalachia. 

Stephanie lives with her husband and two young sons in beautiful Fayette County West Virginia. When she’s not at work, you’re most likely to find her at Summersville Lake or hanging around a local bookstore. 

Jennifer Reed Goddard, APR, has served as the Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Charleston, West Virginia since 2022. She first joined the organization in 2016 as their Chief Program Officer. 

Jennifer started her career as the Director of Communications for the West Virginia Kids Count Fund where she wrote and produced the first four annual data books and developed the communications and outreach plans for the organization. Following her dreams, she then worked a regional advertising and public relations agency, which led to more than 15 years in corporate communications and as a community relations and outreach consultant for many Fortune 500 companies. 

A nearly lifelong Charleston resident, Jennifer has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management. She has achieved the designation “APR” as an accredited public relations professional and serves as the Public Relations Society of America West Virginia Chapter president for 2021-2022. She has served on numerous non-profit boards in the community and is excited that her career has brought her back into the world of non-profit management. 

Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Ohio University and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix. She recently completed a Certificate in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from University of South Florida.

Jennifer and her husband Todd enjoy weekends exploring and hiking Wild, Wonderful, West Virginia with Rocket the Wonder Dog.

Born in Los Angeles, California, Mavery Davis moved to West Virginia on a football scholarship. Although his scholarship did not fully materialize, Mavery remained in West Virginia, completed his degree, and had a career filled with ups and downs, as he candidly shares. Maveryis a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), breaking the chains of poverty and creating wealth. He is a CPA by day, serving as Director of Lending for New Economy Works WV/Seed Commons, and a community organizer, a motivator, and the Financial Literacy Bootcamp (FLBC) founder by night. Through the FLBC, he teaches youth the psychology of money and financial basics. Through these efforts, he plants the seeds of collective, community wealth, and abundance. 

Mavery earned the Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs Trail Blazer-Pioneer Award (2020). In addition to his professional accountant certification, Mavery also holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with a concentration in Accounting from West Virginia State University (WVSU) and a Master’s of Science Degree with a concentration in Public Accounting from Strayer University. Additionally, Mavery is an adjunct professor of Accounting at WVSU, a guest teacher at Makeshop Design Lab, a National Society of Black Certified Public Accountants (NSBCPA) Board member, and a collaborator in All Things Workshops! 

Mavery has been recognized as a Top 40 under 40 Black CPA by the NSBCPA (2021) and a Hometown Hero by WV Can’t Wait (2022). In his current role, as the Director of Lending for New Economy Works WV, he brings a passion for uplifting people and connecting them to the resources they need along their cooperative business journey.

Mavery’s essential roles are husband and father.

Melanie Seiler is the founding Executive Director of Active Southern West Virginia, with 20 years of experience in business ownership and management. Melanie has an Associate's degree in Adventure Sports and a Bachelor's in Adventure Recreation Management. She is also certified in CDC Work@Health T3, Diabetes Prevention Program, American Canoe Association stand-up paddle boarding, Professional Ski Instructors of America telemark skiing, and a WV Division of Natural Resources river guide. Melanie was named one of West Virginia Executive Magazine's Generation Next 40 Under 40 professionals in 2017 and a 2019 West Virginia Living Wonder Woman.

Co-Founder of the Healing House, Inc., Nakia Austin, is an Inspirational Speaker, Professional Counselor, and Certified Life Coach offering over 15 years of experience in strategic thinking and tactical approaches to overcoming adversity. The Healing House, Inc. is a holistic behavioral health program that serves and empowers women. They help trauma-impacted women heal and rebuild. They provide an innovative approach to healing and a fresh take on life after trauma through the highest quality of coaching, counseling, and education.

As a graduate of The Ohio State University and Marshall University Graduate College, Nakia holds two degrees and several certifications that have helped her master the art of communication and public speaking. Nakia’s extensive background spans adult education, youth services, and coaching. Nakia has spoken to audiences for nearly two decades about the importance of decision-making, critical thinking, and awareness. Her innovative technique adds a refreshing element to public speaking and engages audiences of all ages. 

As a counselor, Nakia has helped hundreds of children over a decade build coping skills and strategies to overcome difficulty and emotional hardship. Nakia has also helped women battling addiction find peace, resolve, and the courage to conquer addiction. Nakia works tirelessly to support her clients on every step of their journey. 

As a coach, Nakia has the tools to help her clients achieve their goals, recover from difficult experiences, and address current and future challenges. By utilizing proven strategic methods for overcoming life’s hurdles, Nakia’s innovative coaching technique combines cognitive theory with practical applications that get results. In addition, Nakia’s dedicated, invaluable support and responsive approach to therapy and coaching allow her to help individuals become the best versions of themselves. 

Nakia is a dedicated wife and mother, youth worker and mentor, minister, community liaison, and women’s advocate; her goal is to empower with every encounter.

Jennifer Waggener is the founder and executive director of Faith in Action of the Greater Kanawha Valley.

A South Charleston native, Jennifer attended West Virginia University. Most of her career was spent in corporate administration and marketing, including a long-term role as the Director of Marketing for the Mid-Atlantic region of Skanska, an international construction firm. The Waggeners relocated to Virginia and North Carolina due to career opportunities and lived away for nearly 16 years before the chance to return home presented itself. 

Upon arriving back in West Virginia in 2009, Jennifer accepted a position with the Alzheimer’s Association, West Virginia Chapter. It was this job that opened her eyes to the vast unmet needs of our older neighbors and inspired her to start Faith in Action of the Greater Kanawha Valley.

Faith in Action provides free volunteer services to senior citizens in Kanawha and Putnam counties. Between 2015-2022, Faith in Action of the Greater Kanawha Valley volunteers performed 25,372 hours of service at a value benefit to our community of $608,161, simply through providing meaningful and reliable support for the independent living of older adults in the communities they serve.

In the 9 years since its inception, the program was given an Award of Excellence by the National Volunteer Caregivers Network; was an inaugural recipient of the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation’s Changemaker to Watch award in 2017; and was a 2018 Governor’s Service Award honoree. But Jennifer’s greatest source of pride is simple: it’s the people – volunteers, care receivers, and collaborative partners - who make Faith in Action work, neighbor to neighbor.

Margaret O’Neal, President of United Way of Central West Virginia, is Dr. Foster’s guest on this episode. The United Way improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of the community. Margaret discusses the organization's critical support services and the upcoming signature event that includes Dr. Foster and other local leaders.