Beckley, W.Va. (July 11) – Nicholas County resident Judy Moore has elevated her leadership position in the New River Gorge region. Moore was named Deputy Director of Operations of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA), effective July 1, adding to her roles overseeing the West Virginia Hive and Country Roads Angel Network (CRAN).

NRGRDA executive director Jina Belcher said Moore’s outstanding management of the Hive and CRAN made this promotion an easy decision. “Judy and I have worked in lockstep over the last two years to ensure that the alignment of the NRGRDA suite of programming is cohesive and our work is collectively impactful. Our board of directors and full team have the ultimate confidence in Judy’s work ethic, determination to succeed, and results in community and economic development,” said Belcher. “I’m honored to work alongside Judy to continue to grow our project portfolio and elevate her to a position that will allow her to take equal ownership of NRGRDA decisions, strategic focus, and the organization’s operations.”

Moore has been the executive director of the West Virginia Hive since November 2017 where she has built the program to serve a consistent business portfolio of more than 100 incubation and acceleration clients. She led the creation of the Country Roads Angel Network in 2020, becoming its managing director and then president. CRAN is the state’s only accredited angel investment network and has thus far made investments totaling more than $700,000 to four new Mountain State businesses.

As the Hive director, Moore focuses on establishing partnerships and alliances that provide increased access to resources for businesses and entrepreneurs. She works with her team of business advisors, support network, and funders to bring about more effective and efficient means through which regional entrepreneurs can operate successful establishments.

Prior to her present position, Moore served as a WV Hive business advisor, offering one-on-one advising to local start-ups, business owners, and future entrepreneurs to provide them a personal connection and guide to the business world. Before joining the WV Hive, she was employed as an Assistant Director at West Virginia University’s National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) where her primary roles included providing leadership in areas of creative direction, media relations, and management of the communications, marketing, and education and outreach efforts of the organization.

Moore earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from American Intercontinental University and a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications from West Virginia University.

About New River Gorge Regional Development Authority: The New River Gorge Regional Development Authority’s (NRGRDA) mission is to initiate, facilitate and support the economic and community development efforts within the counties of Fayette, Nicholas, Raleigh, and Summers located in this region of southern West Virginia. NRGRDA stimulates the regional economy through business expansion and retention efforts, including an extensive portfolio of financial services; the management of sites for new companies locating to our region; and serving as a point of access for local service providers which offer a variety of technical assistance for business owners.

The West Virginia Hive is the entrepreneurship program of the NRGRDA and the administrator of the Country Roads Angel Network (CRAN). More can be found at https://nrgrda.org/