Meet Our Board

Kathy was born in Port Huron, Michigan. Her life's journey had taken her to the Washington, DC metropolitan area where she became a special education elementary teacher. Her passion is for giving people, despite their differences, the opportunity to see the world. Her degrees include a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a masters degree in special education from John’s Hopkins. She and her husband relocated to Franklin County in 2021 when she retired.

They have a farm in Burnt Chimney where we raise hogs, chickens and produce. She became involved with Friends of Ferrum Park because they are active participants in the Farm and Craft Market held on the park property weekly from late March through early November. She currently serve on the board of directors as secretary. 

 

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"I became involved when I learned about the park mission to not only protect the environment but also provide ADA accessibility as well as a playground that will allow all children, despite their differences, to play together. I am proud to be part of a group working so hard to provide a community space for future generations."

Susan has an Associate Degree and worked as a Paralegal in Ohio for 10 years.  Since 1998 she has worked remotely as a Real Estate Title Insurance Underwriter for Investors Title then Fidelity National Title. 

She and her husband Vencil moved to Callaway in 1989 and then to Ferrum in 2000. Susan has raised goats for many years and was fortunate to find a larger place in Ferrum than her place in Callaway, which is the reason she moved.  

"I enjoy the diversity in Ferrum.  I worked at the college for three years before being downsized and I know the void between the college and the village.  I have always been an advocate that the college and the village get a closer relationship.  That is one of the main reasons I joined Ferrum Forward and now Friends of Ferrum Park.  

I was working at the County when the property was purchased and there was a huge outcry at that time (1996) from the community stating they did not want an industrial park here.  Obviously it didn't happen anyhow.  

We are a rural village filled with people who are proud of our side of the county and want to keep it rural and natural.  There are many different occupations here and everyone I have met is always willing to help out if they can, and not always monetarily.  Friendship, help  and cooperation are more important in many ways than money.

The Park will add a layer of entertainment, education, and outreach for the community and those coming to the village for various reasons.  It will also become a destination site since it is part of the Crooked Road and will be part of the Moonshine Trail.  It will give the village and its members the opportunity to socialize, have meetings, hold events and markets where now there is no place to get together.  When planning a meeting, it is difficult to find a site that will accommodate.  The Park will give us that and much more.  It will go a long way toward preserving the feel of the village and preserve the trees, flora and fauna of the area.  That land should be preserved and protected not decimated by people who do not understand its value.

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We WILL preserve it.  We WILL protect it.  We WILL make it something our community will enjoy and cherish." 

Kat was born in Franklin County in 1961. The oldest of 9 children to Billy and Barbara Boyd, she graduated 1979 from Franklin County High School. Married Randy Harrison, she was widowed in1986 after a tragic hunting accident. She attended National Business College for 2 years after the textile industry collapsed in 1991.  Kat worked for Franklin County in the IT Department for 12 years. She owned and operated her own business, Kat's Hidden Treasures, since March of 2000.  She became involved with Ferrum Forward in 2018 as one of its original members. Her desire to help improve her community has been her main motivation.

 

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"I feel proud of the things we have accomplished with no real budget and a handful of determined individuals.  Friends of Ferrum Parks core values are an extension of my own.   I support a sense of community. I believe that our generation is responsible for preserving nature's beauty for the next generation. We can fix the world we can work on our little corner of it. A  community that holds tight to traditions and its roots can only grow stronger."

Born in Las Vegas, Nevada, Rebecca lived all throughout the United Sates before settling down and spending her formative years in southern Ohio once her father retired from the Air Force.

Earning a degree in Business Management with a focus on Non-Profit Leadership, Rebecca has worn many hats over the course of her 20-year career. From running a small organic farm that specialized in eggs and produce, to managing social media accounts and websites for various local and national organizations.

With decades of experience in small business and organizational management, along with working in various fields doing construction management, communication, social media, advertising and visual design, Rebecca brings a dynamic range of skills and knowledge base to the board.

Rebecca, her husband, and two teenage children moved to Ferrum during the height of the pandemic while looking to settle down after spending the previous 2 years traveling the U.S. fulltime. Having grown up in the Appalachian foothills in southern Ohio, they knew they wanted to live near the Blue Ridge Mountains and were lucky enough to find a home here in Ferrum. 

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"To me, Ferrum Park embodies the true spirit of community and what it means to be a part of something bigger than yourself. The ultimate goal for the park has always been to balance preserving the land in its natural state as much as possible for all the critters that call it home, while still providing the amenities our community needs to have a better quality of life.

This balance has been challenging but so rewarding because we're creating a truly unique and interesting space that feels almost magical to be in... when you're here, you're truly IN nature. It's so much easier to see how important it is to protect it when you feel like you're really a part of it too.
I've been all over the country, and there's something really special about Ferrum Park. I'm not sure if it's the land, the people, the history or the combination of all of them, but when you visit, you'll feel it too."