Meet Our Board

Born in Las Vegas, Nevada, Rebecca grew up an Air Force "brat" and lived on Air Force bases in Arizona and South Carolina before spending her formative years in southern Ohio once her father retired. 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 organizations. She has experience in construction management, small business management, and organizational management along with working in various fields doing communication, social media, advertising and visual design.

Rebecca, her husband, and two teenage children moved to Ferrum during the height of the pandemic looking to settle down after spending the previous 2 years traveling the U.S. in an old school-bus-turned-RV (skoolie.) 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. 

​

"When we moved to Ferrum, we knew we had found a house we loved- what we didn't realize at the time was that we had also found a true sense of HOME here. We have never felt such a strong sense of belonging as we have here, and we want to do everything we can to support and uplift the amazing folks who make Ferrum the incredible place that it is.

Working on the park project is our family's way of giving back to the community that continues to give so much to us."

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.

​

​

"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."

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. 

​

​

"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.

​

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

Born in Woolwine, VA Rachel has lived in Franklin County
for the last 14 Years. With a BA in Theatre Arts from Radford University Rachel is current employed at Ferrum College in the Performing Arts Department, along with being a member of the Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre, Jack Tale Player, resident runner at the Harvester Performance Center, and is a self employed Forager with Social Media Blog - The ForageHer, along with being a homeschooling mom.

"Our planet is currently right smack dab in the middle of a climate crisis and preserving wild spaces is of upmost importance. Ferrum is my home. I fell in love with its wildness 14 years ago and have never wanted to leave. I want a space for our community to come together and meet our neighbors. We need our neighbors now more than ever. I want a space for us to celebrate this wonderful community that we live in."

Kendra was born in Ferrum, and comes from a long line of Boyds, and Quinns in the area. She has lived in Franklin county all her life with the exception of moving as a child, but they always come back because Ferrum is home. She graduated from Franklin County high school in 1997. Currently, she is a stay at home mother and volunteers with Friends of Ferrum Park as well as the Ferrum Farm and Craft Market.

"Ferrum park means a public space right down the road and not have a 20 minute ride with screaming kiddos in the back. It means family time taking hikes and seeing animals in the wild. it means the farmers market will have a home. Ferrum means community, Ferrum means family and Ferrum means home."