Guided by Experience,
United by Purpose

A native of Southwestern Virginia, Kelley Kinder founded the Appalachian Memory & Aging Initiative to address the unique needs of the aging population in rural Central Appalachia. With nearly two decades of experience in counseling and psychology, Kelley is passionate about promoting healthy aging, increasing awareness of the differences between normal aging and cognitive decline, and expanding access to essential services and supports for older adults and their families.

Kelley is a licensed professional counselor in Virginia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from The University of Virginia’s College at Wise (2006) and a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Liberty University (2016). She is currently a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology, expected to complete her PsyD in the spring of 2026. Her doctoral research and clinical training have centered on psychotherapy for older adults, cognitive assessment, and interventions that foster resilience and well-being in later life.

In addition to her work with the Appalachian Memory & Aging Initiative, Kelley is the founder of The Brain Clinic in Abingdon, Virginia. There, she provides cognitive evaluations, psychotherapy, and consultation to support older adults and their families as they navigate life transitions and the challenges of aging.

Outside of her professional roles, Kelley enjoys spending time with her husband, stepdaughter, and two miniature schnauzers. She has a love for travel—especially to cities with rich history, beautiful architecture, and breathtaking coastlines. She also enjoys exploring antique and thrift shops, listening to a wide range of music, and experiencing moments of solitude and gratefulness.

Kristen Rutherford is a community-minded professional whose career spans across education, entrepreneurship, and nonprofit leadership, all rooted in her passion for serving others and strengthening the communities she has always called home in Southwest Virginia. Throughout her career, she has embraced opportunities to support people at every stage of life.

Kristen holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from East Tennessee State University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. She is deeply passionate about developing partnerships and collaborations that strengthen educational opportunities across the region.

Currently, she serves as Director of Nutrition and Senior Employment Services at Mountain Empire Older Citizens, where she oversees programs providing meals, employment opportunities, and essential services to older adults. Her work focuses on improving access to resources and enhancing the quality of life for seniors throughout the region. Her leadership contributed to program achievements recognized with a 2025 US Aging Achievement Award. As a workforce development leader for seniors, she serves on the Southwest Virginia Workforce Development Board.  She was recently invited to serve on the Virginia Cooperative Extension Leadership Council for Lee County, Virginia.

Before stepping into nonprofit leadership, Kristen spent more than a decade as a public school educator. Teaching fostered her deep appreciation for adaptability, creativity, and lifelong learning—qualities that continue to guide her professional journey. She also fulfilled a lifelong dream of entrepreneurship by founding and operating a successful catering and restaurant business that served her community.

Personally, Kristen enjoys gardening, cooking, thrift shopping, decorating, singing, and growing in her relationship with Christ. She and her husband of 21 years, Steve, share three wonderful children—Brooklyn, Alleigh, and Graham.

Dr. Allissa Caudill graduated from Marshall University with a doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She is a Licensed Psychologist in both Kentucky and West Virginia. Dr. Caudill is a certified Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) therapist and has certification in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT). She is currently working as a psychologist for the UK King’s Daughters healthcare system, where she is focused on conducting psychological assessments for children, adolescents, and adults in the Tri-State area of Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia.

Dr. Caudill is actively involved in the community, where she currently serves as the West Virginia Psychological Association President-Elect. She is also a member of various committees and organizations in her child’s public school district.

Carolyn Dando was born and raised in Washington County, Virginia, on a small dairy and burley tobacco farm where hard work and family values shaped her life from an early age. Her father worked as a mechanic and dairy farmer, while her mother devoted herself to homemaking and raising the family.

As a young woman, Carolyn became active in her local 4-H Club and the annual Tobacco Festival. Her natural talent for communication led her to focus on public speaking, where she excelled in maintaining meticulous records of her speaking engagements and her weekly radio broadcast. During her sophomore year of college, she earned national recognition, receiving the National 4-H Public Speaking Award, which included a trip to Chicago and a college scholarship. Carolyn pursued higher education at James Madison University—then known as Madison College—where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics Education, becoming the first in her family to graduate from college.

Her early career began close to home, serving as a dining room hostess and craft store manager at the Southwest Virginia 4-H Camp in Washington County. Upon graduation, she joined the Virginia Tech Extension Service as a Home Economist in Newport News, Virginia, where she spent four years teaching and leading 4-H programs for women and youth.

During that time, Carolyn met the love of her life—her “knight in shining armor”—just before he deployed to Vietnam as an Army helicopter pilot. After his return, the two married and began a life filled with adventure, as her husband served in the U.S. Army, pursued work in the trucking industry, and later as an FBI agent. Carolyn continued teaching while also embracing her most meaningful role as mother to their three sons. Her husband often says that her role of raising three boys into fine men was far more important than any work of his own.

When the opportunity came for early retirement, Carolyn and her husband returned to her family’s farm in Abingdon, Virginia, where they lovingly cared for her aging parents for over two decades. The farm in the Appalachian Mountains became a place of peace, renewal, and multigenerational connection.

Carolyn’s three sons grew up spending summers on the farm, learning life skills and creating cherished memories with their grandparents. Today, her eldest son, along with his wife and four sons, have made the farm their home, continuing the family’s deep roots in the region. Carolyn and her husband are now proud grandparents of eleven grandchildren, four of whom were raised on the family farm.

A lifelong learner, educator, and advocate, Carolyn continues to value the lessons of family, faith, and resilience that began on that small Virginia farm. Her story reflects a life of service, love, and dedication—both to her family and her Appalachian heritage.