Barger named director general
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The board of directors of the Mountain State Forest Festival has announced the appointment of Kenna Barger as director general of the 74th fall celebration. She brings four years of experience as an assistant director to the Mountain State Forest Festival; in years prior she served as a jester coach and volunteered on various festival committees.
Barger commenced her new position on Jan. 1 and will work closely with the festival's new executive director and festival volunteers to ensure that the Forest Festival continues to be the largest in West Virginia. She and her team of assistant directors have already begun organizing and developing the events to take place during the autumn extravaganza scheduled Oct. 1-10 in Elkins.
Barger earned both a bachelor's and master's degree in secondary education from West Virginia University and post-master's work in Educational Leadership with Principalship and Superintendency Certifications. She is owner of Barger Educational Consulting - currently contracting as an educational consultant for the Southern Regional Education Board headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. - where she works in the area of school improvement and reform in school districts throughout the United States. She serves as a mathematical consultant for the Educational Testing Service in Princeton, N.J., for a national course test, and has provided professional development sessions at numerous national workshops and institutes. Additionally, she has received an abundance of professional awards and achievements in areas of education and mathematics.
"Kenna brings a reputation as a brilliant and organized leader as well as having an excellent knowledge of our festival's organization," said Ray LaMora, MSFF board president. "She has a lifelong passion and a vitality that will serve the Mountain State Forest Festival well. We couldn't be more excited to have Kenna at the helm alongside Executive Director Renee Heckel - this duo has an astonishing mix of skills, experience, vision and ideas to take the Mountain State Forest Festival forward."
The theme of the 74th festival is "Nature's Kaleidoscope" created by Barger. She noted that her theme is an extraordinary match with how she views the Forest Festival.
"I developed this theme to be an insightful infusion of ever-changing rich autumn colors, royal courts, festival leaders and events. Nature's Kaleidoscope embodies the change that transcends from one festival to the next while maintaining boundaries of tradition and rich heritage."
A resident of Beverly, she and her husband, Shelton Barger, have three children: Lukas, Linkoln and Skout - who served as crown bearer in the 2004 Forest Festival.
Barger previously served in the festival's royal court as a flower girl in 1976 and a jester in 1983.
She attends The Alliance Church in Elkins.
"I am very honored and excited to have been selected to serve as this year's director general," Barger said. "I'm especially fortunate to be working with a dedicated board of directors, a new executive director and assistant directors to expand on the annual events and programming of this renowned festival. I'll be following initiatives previously put in place by festival leaders whom I've greatly admired while adding a few twists to host an incredible celebration for the citizens of Randolph County and our great state."
Additional information on the 74th Mountain State Forest Festival is available online at www.forestfestival.com.
