ARC has a new Federal Co-Chair
Gayle Conelly Manchin has been sworn-in as the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) 13th Federal Co-Chair, becoming the first West Virginian to hold the position.
Well-connected in the state – she was a former President of the West Virginia Board of Education and Secretary of Education and the Arts, she is also the wife of Joe Manchin, former Governor and current U.S. Senator. Manchin was appointed to those positions after her husband left the Governor’s office.
As Federal Co-Chair, she will work directly with ARC’s 13 member Governors, their State Alternates and Program Managers, and a network of local development districts to continue to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth throughout Appalachia.
“I’m honored to serve our beloved Appalachian Region and its people as ARC federal co-chair,” Manchin said. “While we’ve come a long way over the years, more work needs to be done to strengthen our Region and seize opportunities to address economic disparities and advance prosperity.”
Her top priorities will be to support the creation of economic opportunities in the Appalachian Region, improve broadband access and critical infrastructure in Appalachian communities, and address the Region’s opioid crisis
