Meet Our Team
Staff | Board of Directors | Interns & Fellows
Grace Ficara – Editorial Communications Intern, Winter 2024
Grace has loved Appalachia since she first became a student at Appalachian State in 2020. Currently a senior, she is excited to join the Appalachian Voices team as the Editorial Intern for The Appalachian Voice. While studying journalism in college, Grace became passionate about the surrounding community and wanted to find a way to give back to the area that had given so much to her.
Jacob Lineberry – Data Research Intern, Summer 2023
Jacob grew up in Shenandoah County, where he developed a love and appreciation for the Blue Ridge Mountains. During his childhood exploring the outdoors, his curiosity pushed him to understand how and why things work, and led him to a career in physics and education. He taught high school physics for the past 5 years in Washington, DC, before relocating to Roanoke, VA to reconnect with the mountains. As he leaves the classroom, he’s excited to serve as an educator in new and exciting capacities and share knowledge about climate change, equity, and opportunity in Appalachia.
Matt Moss – Operations & Outreach Intern, Summer 2024
Matt Moss grew up in the Raleigh, NC area and has a background in sales and administrative support. Observing the recent rampant ecological disruption and blatant disregard for the communities impacted by such practices motivated him to pursue organizing against those practices as a career. He is excited to work alongside Appalachian Voices in their mission and is eager to see where things go from there!
Taylor Pate — Community Impact Storytelling Intern, Winter 2024
Taylor Pate is a native of West Virginia and an artist whose work focuses on capturing Appalachian narratives. She studied painting and history at West Virginia University and received her Master of Fine Arts degree from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Funded by the Murray Dessner Travel Grant, she recently embarked on a research journey across Ireland where she explored ancient Celtic art and its ties to modern Appalachian culture. She is excited to bring her creative skills to help support the mission of Appalachian Voices as a Community Impact Storytelling Intern.
Macey Sheppard – Coal Impacts Team Assistant, Spring 2024
Macey Sheppard is located in Wise, Va., and is the Coal Impacts Team Assistant for Spring 2024. She has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science Legal Studies from Virginia Tech and is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Higher Education from Liberty University. She has a strong passion for advocacy, education and environmental politics, specifically focusing on the Appalachian region. She is eager to learn, grow and become more educated in this field and hopes that this opportunity will enhance her knowledge of the issues surrounding Appalachian communities.
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