Join Us for the 2025 Education Summit
Growing Partnerships, Cultivating Opportunities for Student Success

The Education Alliance invites you to an inspiring day dedicated to growing the future of education and industry partnerships! Mark your calendar for Thursday, May 15, 2025, and meet us at the Clay Center for an event that will spark new ideas, foster connections, and showcase the incredible potential of our students.

Keynote Speaker: Jennifer Garner
We are thrilled to welcome Jennifer Garner—actress, hometown hero, and Co-founder of Once Upon a Farm—as our keynote speaker! Hear her passionate insights on the power of partnerships in shaping brighter futures for students and communities.

Your Ticket Includes:

Inspiring Keynote Presentation
Industry Panel exploring cutting-edge careers in agriculture and technology
Delicious Lunch & Networking Opportunities
Student Expo featuring real-world success stories in career readiness, innovation, and entrepreneurship

SOLD OUT

Jess Toon
Jess Toon serves as Manager of Strategic Communications for Coalfield Development, a workforce-focused nonprofit working to rebuild the Appalachian economy from the ground up. Through its Refresh Appalachia program, Coalfield provides hands-on training in agriculture; facilitates educational opportunities and market channels through farm-to-school efforts; supports local producers with one-on-one technical assistance and aggregation and distribution guidance; and strengthens the regional food system through partnerships — including with The Wild Ramp, a Huntington farmers market and local food hub. With a background in rural grocery and local food systems, Jess brings a deep understanding of how community-based strategies can grow agricultural, educational, and economic opportunities in West Virginia.

Kent Leonhardt
Kent Leonhardt is the West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture. Elected in November 2016, he took office in January 2017. Leonhardt is a farmer operating a 380-acre farm in western Monongalia County, West Virginia. He raises sheep, cattle, and goats. He formerly served in the West Virginia State Senate for the 2nd district. He is retired from the United States Marine Corps as a lieutenant colonel. He holds a degree in wildlife management from the University of Missouri and an MBA from Central Michigan University.

Brad Gritt
Brad Gritt is a 4th-generation Gritt, and the general manager of Gritt’s Farm. Brad grew up exploring the land, riding tractors with his dad, packing tomatoes for his grandma (she paid him 1 penny per basket!) and started running the Capitol Market cash register at just 8 years old. He graduated from Marshall University with a Marketing & Finance degree, then moved to Salt Lake City, Utah with dreams of becoming an investment banker. It wasn’t long before he became “farm sick” and came home to pursue the farm full-time.

Chelsea Ruby
Chelsea Ruby was appointed Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Tourism in March 2021 by Governor Jim Justice, marking the elevation of tourism to a cabinet-level department. Under her leadership, the state has experienced historic growth in traveler spending and private tourism investment. Ruby has championed the award-winning "Almost Heaven" brand, earning national accolades for marketing and community engagement. A former Director of Marketing for the Department of Commerce, she has been widely recognized for her contributions to public service and communications. She serves on the board of Travel South USA and lives in Charleston with her husband and three children.

12:00 noon - 1:30pm Lunch

Hope for the Future School Business Partnership Of the Year Winner
Keynote Speaker - Jennifer Garner

1:30pm - 2:00pm - Student Expo

2:00pm - 2:15pm - Table Talk

2:15pm - 3:00pm - Moderated Industry Panel

Keynote Speaker - Jennifer Garner

Award-winning actress Jennifer Garner has enjoyed a successful career at the top of her field in both film and television and has also taken on the role of philanthropist and entrepreneur.

Garner is known for her versatility in a wide range of starring-roles in Alias, Dallas Buyers Club, Love Simon, Juno, and more. Most recently, Garner executive produced and starred in the hit Apple TV+ limited series The Last Thing He Told Me, based on the eponymous New York Times bestseller by Laura Dave, and the Netflix comedy features Family Switch and Yes Day, which became Netflix’s biggest Kids & Family film release after launching on the platform. Next, Garner will star and executive produce a sequel to Yes Day for Netflix and The Five-Star Weekend for Peacock. Garner is currently in production on Season 2 of Apple TV+ The Last Thing He Told Me where she also serves as an executive producer.

In 2017, Garner co-founded a leading childhood nutrition company Once Upon a Farm. As Chief Brand Officer, she has helped grow the company with the goal of providing organic, crave-worthy snacks and meals for children of all ages. As a businesswoman, Garner has worked with major brands including Neutrogena and Capital One, and also joined the Virtue Labs team to amplify and raise awareness about the unique health and beauty benefits of the company’s premium hair care line.

As a philanthropist, Garner is a Save the Children Trustee and has worked with the organization since 2008. In 2014, Garner joined the global non-profit’s board of trustees, deepening her commitment to issues affecting children in America and around the world.

Keynote Interview - Amanda Barren

Amanda Barren joined the WOWK 13 News Team in November 2021. Her career started in Parkersburg, West Virginia in 2002 after graduating from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University.

Her career then took her to WJET in Erie, Pennsylvania, where she covered courts, crime, and government before becoming the anchor of “Good Morning Erie.” After enjoying endless winters for three years, she moved to Charleston-Huntington, West Virginia where she worked as a reporter and anchor at WSAZ. She fulfilled a dream of going home to Cleveland, Ohio to work as a morning reporter and noon anchor at WKYC. In late 2012 the Country Roads of West Virginia came calling and she returned to work at WSAZ as the evening anchor for nearly a decade. In late 2021 she had the opportunity to join the team at WOWK.

Amanda is passionate about the welfare of children and animals. The pandemic has also sparked a new interest in health, nutrition, and wellness.