Speakers

Jeff Biggers has worked as a writer, educator, radio correspondent, correspondent, and community organizer across the United States, Europe, India and Mexico. His award-winning stories have appeared on NPR, PRI, and in scores of travel, literary and music magazines, and national and foreign newspapers. He has been a commentator on NPR's Morning Edition and for Pacific News Service national syndication. He is the author of In the Sierra Madre and The United States of Appalachia.

Teri Blanton is a Harlan County, KY native and survivor of a federal superfund site. Early in her activist career she spent her days educating communities about adverse health effects due to their exposure to the chemicals in the local drinking water. She also served as a watchdog, making sure the EPA was considering what was in the best interest of the local communities. Currently she is an Organizer with Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KFTC) and concentrates her efforts on the campaign to end mountaintop removal mining in Eastern Kentucky and helps to create a sustainable and survivable energy future. She is also a former chairperson of KFTC and during her tenure, KFTC launched the Canary Project, encompassing the organization's work surrounding coal, water, and energy issues.

Larry Gibson's family has lived on or near Kayford Mountain since the late 1700's. More than 300 relatives are buried in the cemetery on Kayford Mountain. Larry and his family used to live on the lowest lying part of the mountain and looked up to the mountain peaks that surrounded them. Since 1986, the slow motion destruction of Kayford Mountain has been continuous -- 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Eighteen years after the "mountaintop removal project began, Larry Gibson now occupies the highest point of land around; he is enveloped by a 12,000 acre pancake in what was previously a mountain range.

Ken Hechler received a Ph.D. in political science from Columbia University and taught at Columbia College and Barnard College. He was drafted into the army infantry in 1942 and following officer candidates school was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army during World War II. He assisted President Roosevelt in the preparation of Public Papers and Addresses and was the Special Assistant in charge of research for President Truman. In 1958 he was elected a US Congressman of West Virginia and was re-elected for eighteen years. During his time as a Congressman, he was the only serving Congressperson to be arrested with Dr. Martin Luther King in the 1965 Selma March. He also was the leading Congressperson on the abolition of strip-mining through sponsoring anti-strip mining bills repeatedly during his tenure. He was elected to four, four-year terms as West Virginia Secretary of State. He is currently actively joining with WV citizens in protesting Mountaintop Removal.

Matthew Petty is a member of the Fayetteville, Arkansas City Council representing the 2nd Ward. He is a tireless campaigner for a more sustainable Fayetteville and was elected to office on a platform of changing his city to a new path. The platform that he is putting into action features the creation of Green Job Training Centers, creating walkable streets, a "Shop Fayetteville First" Campaign, and much more. He is currently working with Green For All and is attending many of the Regional Powershift'09 Events to speak on the importance of passing a strong climate bill to create more green jobs in our communities.


	The Energy Action Coalition Power Shift '09 Campaign Power Shift '09 Regional Summits Our Legislative Ask Register for the Conference Speakers Schedule & Music Community Organizing Central Materials and Resources Speakers Jeff Biggers has worked as a writer, educator, radio correspondent, correspondent, and community organizer across the United States, Europe, India and Mexico. His award-winning stories have appeared on NPR, PRI, and in scores of travel, literary and music magazines, and national and foreign newspapers. He has been a commentator on NPR's Morning Edition and for Pacific News Service national syndication. He is the author of In the Sierra Madre and The United States of Appalachia. Teri Blanton is a Harlan County, KY native and survivor of a federal superfund site. Early in her activist career she spent her days educating communities about adverse health effects due to their exposure to the chemicals in the local drinking water. She also served as a watchdog, making sure the EPA was considering what was in the best interest of the local communities. Currently she is an Organizer with Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KFTC) and concentrates her efforts on the campaign to end mountaintop removal mining in Eastern Kentucky and helps to create a sustainable and survivable energy future. She is also a former chairperson of KFTC and during her tenure, KFTC launched the Canary Project, encompassing the organization's work surrounding coal, water, and energy issues. Larry Gibson's family has lived on or near Kayford Mountain since the late 1700's. More than 300 relatives are buried in the cemetery on Kayford Mountain. Larry and his family used to live on the lowest lying part of the mountain and looked up to the mountain peaks that surrounded them. Since 1986, the slow motion destruction of Kayford Mountain has been continuous -- 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Eighteen years after the "mountaintop removal project began, Larry Gibson now occupies the highest point of land around; he is enveloped by a 12,000 acre pancake in what was previously a mountain range. Ken Hechler received a Ph.D. in political science from Columbia University and taught at Columbia College and Barnard College. He was drafted into the army infantry in 1942 and following officer candidates school was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army during World War II. He assisted President Roosevelt in the preparation of Public Papers and Addresses and was the Special Assistant in charge of research for President Truman. In 1958 he was elected a US Congressman of West Virginia and was re-elected for eighteen years. During his time as a Congressman, he was the only serving Congressperson to be arrested with Dr. Martin Luther King in the 1965 Selma March. He also was the leading Congressperson on the abolition of strip-mining through sponsoring anti-strip mining bills repeatedly during his tenure. He was elected to four, four-year terms as West Virginia Secretary of State. He is currently actively joining with WV citizens in protesting Mountaintop Removal. Matthew Petty is a member of the Fayetteville, Arkansas City Council representing the 2nd Ward. He is a tireless campaigner for a more sustainable Fayetteville and was elected to office on a platform of changing his city to a new path. The platform that he is putting into action features the creation of Green Job Training Centers, creating walkable streets, a "Shop Fayetteville First" Campaign, and much more. He is currently working with Green For All and is attending many of the Regional Powershift'09 Events to speak on the importance of passing a strong climate bill to create more green jobs in our communities.
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