Kats

Rebecca Kimmons has more than 35 years' experience in marketing communications, media relations, tourism development, and creation of program initiatives. She has applied her skills to expanding tourism in the State of West Virginia, creating a national reputation for a deserving whitewater rafting company, repackaged an old West Virginia spa town as a contemporary regional destination, and helped conceive the River of Promise Initiative to restore West Virginia's mine acid drainage-impacted Cheat River basin. She has created and coordinated three cultural festivals designed to stimulate regional economic development.

She has won national and state awards for marketing concept development, creative direction, editorial and advertising writing, and photography. She has been named a Star of the Industry by the West Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association and the West Virginia Division of Tourism for her work in media relations.

Sarah Halstead brings nearly 20 years' experience in corporate, government and academic organizations to the creation of marketing, economic and workforce development programs.

A professional educator, her expertise in needs, skills and organization assessment, job profiling, and performance improvement provides a solid foundation for program development. Her portfolio includes curriculum development, instructional design, and strategic planning, ensuring a targeted purpose for every client, and metric systems to measure effectiveness.

Currently serving as a program and business development specialist for a San Diego consulting firm, Sarah works with a variety of corporate and public sector clients. She staffs and manages training programs aimed at building or enhancing management, leadership, and communication skills, teambuilding, and conflict resolution.