Andy Davis grew up in the Appalachian foothills of Georgia where he learned to combine a passion for outdoor adventures with his educational and social pursuits. After visiting West Virginia’s Canaan Valley as a teenager with his church youth group he soon came back to the Mountain State in between college semesters to train as a whitewater rafting guide in the New River Gorge.

After graduating with a degree in Environmental Sciences, he began working in the nonprofit sector where the intersectional nature of community and economic development sparked his interest. Andy served as Active Southern West Virginia’s Pedestrian, Bike, & Trail Coordinator for two years through the AmeriCorps VISTA program where he collaborated with elected leaders, civic groups, nonprofits, economic development professionals, university employees, local businesses, and volunteers to plan programs, projects, and special events aimed at improving people’s health and experiences within their own communities.

His passion for civic engagement and collaborative planning led him to pursue a graduate degree in Municipal Sustainability at Indiana University and, ultimately, brought him back to West Virginia in 2019 to refocus his efforts. Having the chance to live and work in communities of the South, Appalachia, and the Midwest has afforded him the opportunity to learn the issues facing so many of America’s cities in the 21st century and appreciate the unique challenges of its more rural places.

Andy currently lives in Charleston and loves to explore the wild and wonderful sights of West Virginia in his spare time. He is the youngest of three siblings. His parents retired from the public school system and now live in Florida, as do his brother, sister and their families.