VIRGINIANS OF INTEREST

Hosts Brian Campbell and Carthan Currin interview some of Virginia's most interesting and illuminating people.

Carthan and Brian have been friends for more than 30 years and share a passion for all things Virginia! They lost touch for many years, but reconnected in 2020 while Carthan was involved with the Economic Development Office for the City of Petersburg and Brian was working on the Medicines for All Project at Virginia Commonwealth University. Both talked frequently about various issues facing the Commonwealth and started kicking around the idea of a podcast. Both Carthan and Brian consider themselves a bit technically challenged, so when the opportunity to host a podcast at Blue Ridge PBS in Roanoke presented itself, they jumped in with both feet!

We hope you enjoy the conversations!

Contributors

Co-host

Brian Campbell

Brian is a native of Gloucester, Virginia. After high school, Brian enlisted in the US Air Force and was stationed at Langley Air Force Base. He served as Security Specialist and Security Instructor. He participated in contingency operations in Egypt, Panama, Germany, and Honduras.

After the Air Force, Brian moved to Charlottesville, where he was involved in politics and public service. He ran for City Council in Charlottesville in 1994 and was ultimately appointed by Governor George Allen to the State Board of Social Services from 1994-2001.

In 1996, Brian began a career in higher education at the University of Virginia. He has worked at Iowa State University and NC State University, and currently serves as Senior Campaign Gift Officer at Virginia Commonwealth University.

He holds an undergraduate degree in Business from Averett University and a master’s degree from the UVA.

Co-host

Carthan Currin

President of Commonwealth Alliance for Rural Colleges as of October 2020, Currin served on the board of directors for 18 years and chair for two. Prior to this appointment, Currin served as Director of Economic Development for the City of Petersburg. He has also led the offices of economic development for Brunswick County and the City of Richmond.

As the first executive director of the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission, Currin led the development of the commission’s policies and operations, creating two field offices in Southside and Southwest Virginia and overseeing the disbursement of $211 million of indemnification funds to farmers.