Our Leadership

Executive Director
Mrs. Connie Elkins

Connie Elkins has been Executive Director for Mountain Kids since 2007. Prior to her work at Mountain Kids, Connie was a Counselor for Southwest Virginia Community College's Upward Bound Program. She has also worked as a school counselor for Tazewell County Public Schools and group counselor for Oak Ridge YWCA.   Connie most enjoys the relationships she has built with children and their families over the past several years, and she credits Mountain Kids' success to its awesome staff.  She holds a M.S. in Counseling and Human Development from Radford University.

Director of Marketing & Healthy Kids Programs
Mrs. Sara Sheets

Volunteer Programs Coordinator
Mrs. Janet White

Mentoring Program Coordinator
Mrs. Sue Harmon

Smart Beginnings Coordinator

Ms. Emily Hudson 

Sue Harman has been employed by Mountain Kids, Inc. since January 2007 as Mountain Mentor's Program Coordinator in charge of the mentoring programs at Graham, Richlands, and Tazewell Middle Schools. Before joining Mountain Kids, she was employed by Tazewell County Public Schools as a Health and Physical Education teacher.

Sue enjoys working with kids of all ages, she is specifically interested in the health and fitness of the students. Sue holds a B.S. in Education majoring in Health, Physical Education, History and Social Sciences.

Emily Hudson serves as the program coordinator for Smart Beginnings. She is a recent graduate of East Tennessee State University, with a B.S. in Public Health and a minor in International Studies, and is currently working on her Master's in Public Health through Walden University. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, playing piano, and working as an assistant dance instructor. 

Dental Hygienist
Mrs. Cheylynna Hess, RDH

Office Assistant
Mrs. Ashley Graham

Office Assistant
Mr. Aaron Robinson

Chief Executive Officer
Mrs. Karen Hudson

Karen B. Hudson is the CEO and Board Chair of Mountain Kids, Incorporated a non-profit organization located in North Tazewell, Virginia. Mountain Kids, Inc. works with Tazewell County Public Schools' elementary and middle schools providing year round dental screenings academic support/enrichment programs, and mentoring opportunities for at-risk/ low-income children.   As a member of the Clinch Valley Community Action Board of Directors, she has worked on the CVCA's Head Start Policy Committee to help refine and provide direction for policy development for these programs.

Mrs. Hudson received her B.A.in Education from Alderson - Broaddus College, Philippi, WV and M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from West Virginia University. She is the founding Director of three federally funded TRIO grants for Southwest Virginia Community College, in Richlands, Virginia. These grants serve a total of one hundred and fifty, low-income/first-generation high school students in Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell and Tazewell Counties. Mrs. Hudson's external grant support--primarily from the U.S. Department of Education--totals more than $11.3 million to date.

Richard Hudson is a Professor at the local community college in the Business and Engineering Division.  He is seen as a builder and one who gets excited about making a difference.   He went on to attain degrees in business management, educational media, and Human Resources and Education as a first-generation college graduate. 

Now at age 61, Richard has learned that true success is being fulfilled in LIFE, and to look back at your life with a smile in your heart, knowing you have made a positive difference in the lives of others. 

Chief Financial Officer
Dr. Richard Hudson

President of Board
Dr. Pat Neely

Treasurer of Board
Mrs. Brenda Thompson

Board Member
Dr. Glenn Harrison

Board Member
Mr. Allen Gross

Board Member
Mrs. Bonnie Cash