People

Melanie started MLH Strategic Planning LLC in 2023 to offer support to nonprofits based on her two decades of experience successfully developing and executing fundraising, donor relations, and donor communications strategies at national nonprofit organizations. She works closely with clients, provid… Read More

Tiffany believes strongly in the correlation among character, liberty, and a free economy. Tiffany has served as a K-12 Civics Literacy Captain and Regional Director at the Florida Department of Education and led a team of Instructional Coaches in implementing Florida’s revised Civics and Gove… Read More

Monica Moses was born and raised in Olean, NY – a small college town on the border of PA in western NY (go bonnies). She graduated from St. John Fisher College in 2018 with a dual major in statistics and economics and is now currently pursuing her PhD in economics… Read More

Nate is an avid supporter of entrepreneurship and believer in the ability of free markets to uplift communities. He also firmly believes that providing individuals with meaningful employment opportunities, which promote autonomy, is essential to increasing their standard of living and overall life s… Read More

C. Edward Gaunch is a native of Boone County. After graduating from West Virginia State University in 1970 with a double major in Economics and Political Science, he spent more than three decades in the insurance industry including 34 years at the Carson Agency in Charleston where he served as… Read More

Growing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Kyle Hanlin has always considered Appalachia home. He graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in political science and minor in economics. After college, he began his career with a brief stint in grassroots for a presiden… Read More

Garrett Ballengee is the President & CEO of the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy, a nonprofit research organization or “think tank” located in West Virginia. A winner of the 2022 Buckley Award, member of the American Enterprise Institute’s Leadership Network, and proud Geo… Read More

Jessi Troyan, PhD was raised in Pinch, WV. She graduated from West Virginia University in 2011 with a BA in economics and a minor in Spanish, George Mason University with an MA in economics in 2013, and recently completed her PhD in economics from George Mason University, as well. Jessi’s diss… Read More

Amanda Kieffer is the Vice President of Communications & Strategy for the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy where she manages digital marketing, external relations, and strategic communications for the Cardinal team. She is also the Executive Producer of the Forgotten America podcast,… Read More

Adam is excited to be part of the Cardinal’s Institute’s team advancing liberty and opportunity across the state as a senior fellow. Adam has supported higher education through teaching, writing, research, philanthropy, government service, and defense of academic freedom and individual rights for pr… Read More