DR. BONNY COPENHAVER
Dr. Bonny Copenhaver has dedicated her entire career in higher education to working in community colleges. She sees these institutions as the keys to access advanced training that for so many can seem unattainable. She started her career at Northeast State Community College located in Blountville,
Tennessee as an instructor of English and Theatre and moved from there to Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap, Virginia where she worked as the first Major Gifts and Planned Giving Coordinator for the College. In that position she organized a capital campaign that raised $4.1 million dollars and contributed to the creation of 20 new scholarships to help deserving students attend college. Returning to Tennessee and to academics once again, Bonny was the Dean of Humanities at
Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin and served in that role for five years while balancing teaching with administrative duties, which included program assessment, curriculum development, and departmental advocacy. She worked at Motlow State Community College as Provost from 2010-2013. In that role she had oversight of all academic programs, and she created a new paramedic/EMT program,
redesigned the developmental studies program and improved the academic affair unit’s institutional effectiveness planning process. In 2010 she received the Woman of Achievement award from the Women in Higher Education in Tennessee. In 2013, Bonny became the Vice President, Academic Affairs/Campus Administrator for Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College. Currently, Bonny serves as the
President of New River Community and Technical College. Bonny graduated from East Tennessee State University with her BS and MA in English and Ed. D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. Additionally, she holds a graduate certificate (18 graduate hours) in women’s studies from Western Kentucky University and a second MA in Social Responsibility and Sustainable Communities also from Western Kentucky University. In 2019, Bonny was selected for and attended the Harvard University’s New Presidents Academy; she was one of 50 participants chosen for this prestigious professional development experience.
Bonny serves on the boards for the United Way of Southern West Virginia, the WV SMART529, the Region 1 Workforce West Virginia, the Beckley Federal Corrections Institution Community Relations Board, the East Tennessee State University Center of Excellence for Community Colleges Advisory Board and is the Beckley-Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce Education Committee Chair. She also actively
participates with the Raleigh County Prevention Coalition and the Raleigh County Reentry Council, and previously served on the A.W.A.Y. Board—the domestic violence shelter.
Bonny and her husband, Alan, have been married 27 years. They are the proud owners of Phoebe, an adorable Puggle that they rescued two years ago and who is now “living her best life.”
JOSEPH BROUSE
Joe Brouse is the Senior Economic Development Representative with the West Virginia Economic Development Authority where he works with the agency’s programs including direct lending, business loan insurance and broadband loan insurance. He has over twenty years lending and economic development experience with such organizations as The New River Gorge Regional Development Authority, Natural Capital Investment Fund, as well as commercial banks. Joe currently serves on the WV Center for Rural Health Loan Committee and also on the board of directors for New River Health Association. He is a graduate of Concord University and currently resides in Beckley.