Written by Ashley L. Dotson, MBA, Assistant Professor of Business Administration, University of Pikeville

Satellites. Power plants. Data centers. Distilleries.

Racetracks. Former shopping malls turned family destinations.

At first glance, these may seem like unrelated pieces of Eastern Kentucky. But over three days in Morehead and Ashland, BRIGHT participants saw how each represents something bigger: opportunity. The region is home to resources, businesses, institutions, and people doing innovative work. Our future depends on how well its leaders recognize those assets and imagine new ways to use them.

The session began in Rowan County, where participants were welcomed by Jason Slone of the Morehead-Rowan County Chamber of Commerce. Slone shared Morehead’s vision as a regional destination and the “front porch of Eastern Kentucky,” highlighting the role of education, healthcare, innovation, and collaboration in creating opportunity. He encouraged participants to take what they learn through BRIGHT back to their own communities and ask, “Why can’t we do this here?” He also reminded the class that leadership is about bringing people together and that collaboration is one of Eastern Kentucky’s greatest strengths.

That conversation about leadership continued with Johnathan Nelson, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Business at Morehead State University, who led participants through “Leading with Integrity.” Nelson emphasized integrity as one of the most important characteristics of a good leader, connecting character and competence to trust. He challenged participants to think beyond simply knowing what is right. Effective leaders, he explained, create environments that make it easier for people to make the right choices. That means consistently modeling ethical behavior, reinforcing it in others, and communicating clearly about expectations.

Participants then explored the ingredients needed to build and grow businesses in Eastern Kentucky during a SOAR panel introduced by Danna Barnett, SOAR Startup Program Coordinator and former BRIGHT alum. Caleb Kilburn (Eastern Light Distillery), Harry T. Clark (Rowan County Judge Executive), Jason Slone (Executive Director Morehead/Rowan County Chamber of Commerce), and Bob Helton (Project Consultant, Dry Branch Consulting) shared perspectives on entrepreneurship and the goal of helping businesses start, grow, and scale without leaving the mountains. Education, innovation, and relationships emerged as some of the region’s most important resources. The panel discussion reinforced the idea that economic development does not always require starting from scratch. Sometimes, it means recognizing the ingredients already available and finding new ways to bring them together.

That idea continued to come to life as participants toured Morehead State University’s Space Science Center, where they saw students gaining direct experience designing and building satellites, demonstrating that innovation and cutting-edge technology are already happening in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. The class also toured Kentucky Power’s Big Sandy Plant, gaining a deeper understanding of an important regional resource that provides energy across much of Eastern Kentucky and supports the communities and industries that depend on it.

A discussion with Trey Grayson on data centers added another perspective on emerging industries, including why Kentucky is attracting data center investment and the questions and misconceptions surrounding the industry. Together, the experiences challenged participants to think differently about what innovation and economic opportunity can look like in Eastern Kentucky.

The same spirit of reimagining existing resources was evident in Boyd County. Local leaders shared how tourism, recreation, entertainment, and regional partnerships can improve quality of life while creating reasons for people to visit, stay, and invest. Participants heard about initiatives such as Healing Appalachia, Rock the Country, the Boyd County Sports Complex, and continued efforts to strengthen partnerships across the region.

Tours of The Neighborhood, Sandy Ridge Racetrack, and Camp Landing offered more tangible examples. At Camp Landing, participants heard from Elisabeth Camp about the transformation of a former mall into a destination for family entertainment, dining, and recreation. What was once an underused space was reimagined into something that serves the community in an entirely different way. The project captured one of the central ideas of the session: sometimes the opportunity is already there. Leaders simply must be willing to see things a little differently.

Participants also experienced the power of relationships within the BRIGHT network. The reception with the Leadership Kentucky Board of Directors at the MSU campus and the BRIGHT alumni dinner at Backyard Pizza provided opportunities to connect with leaders and alumni who continue to invest in the program. Alumni regularly return to host sessions, share their experiences, and connect with new classes. Their continued involvement reflects the lasting impact of BRIGHT and the shared commitment among its participants to Kentucky and its communities.

The final day brought the conversation back to people, perspective, and the future they are helping build. The day began with a special reflection on September 11 led by Elmer Whitaker. In a room filled with BRIGHT participants and high school students of different ages, the moment offered an opportunity to pause, remember, and reflect on the events that shaped a generation. It also served as a reminder of the importance of preserving history and continuing to tell the stories that shape us.

From there, Hunter Adams of Greenleaf Environmental Services shared his company’s culture of leadership and the values that guide its work. His perspective offered another look at what leadership can look like within a business and how organizational culture is shaped by the people who lead it.

That conversation continued at Russell Independent School District, where participants heard from Zach Parsons (current BRIGHT 2026 member), Dave Caniff, Shawn Moore, and a panel of high school students. The discussion focused on collaboration, workforce expectations, and what it takes to build communities where young people can see a future for themselves.

Hearing directly from students provided an important reminder that the communities being built throughout BRIGHT are also the communities in which the next generation will live and work. Creating a stronger future requires current leaders to listen to those voices and find ways for generations to work together. It also means creating communities where young people can go to school, build careers, raise families, and see a reason to stay rather than feeling that their future requires them to leave.

The day concluded with a candid and deeply personal conversation about substance use, resilience, and community action featuring Van Ingram, Tara Moseley Hyde, Rebecca Carrier, and Scott Murphy. Panelists shared personal experiences with addiction and its impact on individuals, families, and communities. The conversation was a reminder that reimagining Eastern Kentucky also means being willing to confront its most difficult challenges.

One panelist offered a simple challenge for those difficult conversations: be uncomfortable, take a breath, and then get to work.

After three days, BRIGHT participants left Morehead and Ashland with a deeper understanding of both the challenges facing Eastern Kentucky and the remarkable resources already present throughout the region. They saw innovation in satellites and data centers, infrastructure in power generation, entrepreneurship in local businesses, new life in familiar spaces, leaders with integrity, and people willing to work together.

Most importantly, the session reinforced that Eastern Kentucky does not have to become something else entirely to build a strong future. The people, ideas, resources, and communities are already here. The opportunity for us as leaders is to connect them, build on them, and reimagine what they can become.