Region 8 consists of the cities of Buena Vista, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Staunton, Waynesboro, Winchester; and the counties of Augusta, Bath, Clarke, Frederick, Highland, Page, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Warren.
The Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission serves as Region 8’s leading support organization, with additional support from the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission and the Shenandoah Valley Partnership. These support organizations collectively provide administrative services and fiduciary oversight for activities related to GO Virginia in Region 8.
Regional Council Members
| Council Member | Affiliation | Sector Represented | Committee(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Alger | James Madison University | Higher Education | Nominating |
| Devon Anders | InterChange Group | Large Business | Grant Review |
| Kim Blosser | Lord Fairfax Community College | Higher Education | Grant Review (Vice Chair) |
| Kathlynn Brown | SRI International | Non-Profit | Grant Review |
| Robin Crowder | Retired K-12 Superindendent | K-12 Education | Growth & Diversification |
| John Downey | Blue Ridge Community College | Higher Education | Nominating |
| Ashley Driver | Howell Metal Company | Large Business | Grant Review |
| Joanie Eiland | Elk Trucking, Inc. | Small Business | Executive (Vice Chair) |
| Tracy Fitzsimmons | Shenandoah University | Higher Education | Grant Review (Chair) |
| Mike Goertzen | Serco, Inc. | Large Business | Grant Review, Growth & Diversification |
| Conrad Helsley | NSVRC Board | Regional Planning Entity | Nominating |
| Chiedo John | GitHub | Entrepreneurship | Growth & Diversification |
| Diar Kaussler | Abrahamic House | Non-Profit | Grant Review |
| Mike Keyser | BARC Electric Cooperative | Large Business | Growth & Diversification |
| John King | Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative | Large Business | Grant Review |
| Chris Kyle | Shentel | Large Business | Executive (Chair) |
| Lai Lee | High Meadow Strategies, LLC | Small Business | Grant Review, Growth & Diversification |
| Connie Loughhead | Des Champ Technologies | Small Business | Executive, Growth & Diversification, Nominating, Region 8 Representative for GenEdge Advisory Board |
| Emily Marlow Beck | Marlow Auto Group | Large Business | Nominating (Vice Chair) |
| Keith May | Cottonwood Commercial | Large Business | Executive |
| Mark Merrill | Retired Valley Health System | Large Business | Grant Review, Nominating |
| Kathy Moore | Moore Public Relations | Small Business | Growth & Diversification |
| Yolanda Shields | Yesbuilds | Workforce Development | Growth & Diversification (Vice Chair) |
| Terry Short | Waynesboro City Council, CSPDC Board | Local Government Representative | Growth & Diversification (Chair) |
| Jeff Stapel | Shickel Corporation | Workforce Development | Nominating (Chair) |