Cortney Beltz is a Program Analyst in the Business Workforce and Investment division, serving since December 2022. Working under the INSPIRE initiative, she helps to manage the application cycle, program development, and provide support to applicants and grantees for ARC-funded projects. Prior to joining ARC, Cortney served as a Grants Compliance Officer, overseeing post-award administration for Liberty University in the Office of Sponsored Programs. Cortney is passionate about issues related to substance use disorder recovery, mental and behavioral health, and military resiliency. She holds a Master’s degree in Professional Counseling and a Master’s degree in Human Services: Military Resilience.

Emela Chaudhri, an expert in workforce development, is the Director of Business & Workforce Investment at the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), where she supports and leads a team of highly collaborative and experienced professionals, who support program development, grants management, and technical assistance activities across the Appalachian Region. Emela’s career in economic development began working for a local development district in Northern Kentucky, where she utilized her expertise to advance college and career readiness programs to meet industry needs across an eight-county region. Emela holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Northern Kentucky University and a master’s degree in Anthropology of Development & Social Transformation from University of Sussex, United Kingdom.

Megan Robinson joined ARC as a Program Manager in the Business Workforce and Investment division in September 2021. Her work involves supporting grantees as they implement ARC-funded projects and overseeing ARC’s READY Appalachia and INSPIRE initiative. Prior to joining ARC, she served as the Director of Workforce Development and Apprenticeships with Argentum where she oversaw a USDOL grant with the overarching goal of launching apprenticeship programs in the healthcare and senior living industry. As the Director of Program Investments and Partnerships with Communities In Schools National, Megan oversaw grant-funded initiatives and provided technical assistance to a network of nearly 200 affiliates serving public schools across the country. Megan is passionate about issues related to dropout prevention, college-career readiness, and supporting underserved communities. She holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and is a Licensed Professional Counselor.

Krystal Rodney is the Instructional Designer and Trainer for the IT team at the Appalachian Regional Commission. In this role, she designs and delivers training opportunities and resources for all users for Pathways, ARC’s grants management system. Prior to this role, she developed and facilitated professional development for K-12 educators and designed and delivered curriculum for K-12 students. Krystal holds a master’s degree in education from the College of William & Mary.

Stephanie Jones serves as the Deputy General Counsel at the Appalachian Regional Commission. Prior to joining ARC, she was a Senior Legislative Counsel for the New York City Council. In that role she served as the senior legal advisor to the committees responsible for business, labor and consumer legislation, which included drafting and negotiating bills for final passage. Previously, she managed policy and compliance matters for the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. Stephanie is admitted to the bar in New York. She holds a Juris Doctor Degree from Emory Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Law from SUNY Binghamton.