Last Updated on July 5, 2026 3:04 pm
BOONE — Four staff members from the High Country Council of Governments have graduated from the NC Rural Center's Homegrown Leaders program, a competitive leadership development initiative designed to build capacity in rural North Carolina communities.
The graduates are Caroline Briggs, Tammy Nelson, Debra Foxx, and Victoria Oxentine — all members of the HCCOG team, which serves as a regional planning and coordination organization for the seven-county High Country region including Watauga, Avery, Ashe, Mitchell, Yancey, Alleghany, and Caldwell counties.
The Homegrown Leaders program, administered by the NC Rural Center in Raleigh, selects participants from across rural North Carolina for a structured leadership curriculum. It emphasizes community development, rural policy, and building networks among leaders working in underserved regions of the state. Completion of the program represents a significant professional development milestone.
Having four graduates from a single organization in the same cohort is notable and reflects HCCOG's institutional commitment to staff development and regional leadership capacity. The Council of Governments plays a central role in coordinating land use planning, transportation, aging services, and economic development across the High Country.
The class graduated through the North Carolina Community College system's continuing education framework in partnership with the Rural Center, connecting regional workforce development to broader rural leadership pipelines.
For more information about HCCOG programs and services, contact Victoria Oxentine at voxentine@hccog.org or visit hccog.org.
