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Robert Rice
Robert Rice worked at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) from 1995 until
2019, focusing on policy issues related to migratory bird habitat and conservation. His research centered around managed lands’ impact upon the environment, including the ways that new technologies transform physical and social landscapes. He brings a keen interest in the historical geography and a critical analysis framework for any project in which he is involved.
A native of NC, Rice was born and raised in Raleigh and obtained an English degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master’s and Doctorate in Geography from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and the University of California-Berkeley, respectively. He has lived in Peru, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala over the years and is fluent in Spanish. Rice has made Ashe County his periodic home since the late 1970s. His love and fascination of Appalachian culture were instrumental in his decision to make Lansing his permanent home in 2019, where he currently loves cooking, roasting coffee, delights in playing the guitar (still taking lessons) and aims to become a gentleman farmer on his property.
Russell Roten
Russell Roten is an Ashe County Native and student at Lansing School. He went on to the University of North Carolina and the University of North Carolina School of Law. After practicing law in multiple states Russell has returned to Ashe County and is committed to our mission of revitalizing Lansing.
Trevor McKenzie
Trevor McKenzie is the Director of the Center for Appalachian Studies at Appalachian State University. McKenzie performs traditional music from along the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and Virginia, both as a solo artist and with regional string bands including Nobody's Business, The Little Stony Nighthawks, and The Elkville String Band. He has been an instructor for the Junior Appalachian Musicians program and taught workshops at gatherings such as Augusta Heritage Center's Old-Time Week and the Floyd Old-Time Music Get-Together.
McKenzie was a guest co-editor of Appalachian Journal's Appalachian Music Special Issue, is a member of SouthArts Emerging Traditional Artists Cohort, and was the recipient of a 2020 SouthArts/NC Arts In These Mountains Apprenticeship to study fiddle traditions with master musician and radio host Paul Brown.
Otto Wood the Bandit: The Freighthopping Thief, Bootlegger, and Convicted Murderer behind the Appalachian Ballads, published in 2021 by The University of North Carolina Press, is his first book.
Mallory Phillips
Mallory Phillips grew up and has lived nearly all of her life in Ashe County. She has deep roots here with over eight generations of family spending their lives in Ashe, stemming from each of her four grandparents. After graduating from Ashe County High School, Mallory went on to earn a degree in Economics at Appalachian State University. Any extracurricular time was spent following, planning, attending, and enjoying Appalachian cultural events across the region, from square dances to fiddler's conventions. Mallory continued her education by earning a master's degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics from Virginia Tech, researching the economic value of riparian buffers along the New and Watauga rivers. Mallory has worked with various local nonprofits as a volunteer, staff, and board member. She is happy to find herself settling in Ashe with a family of her own, exploring her place in this amazing community, and participating in the preservation and celebration of the region's culture and arts.
