How West Virginia Turned Outdoor Recreation Into a Population Strategy
August 04, 2026
West Virginia is tackling population decline by building on one of its greatest strengths: outdoor recreation. Through Ascend WV, outdoor recreation, authentic communities and quality of life have become powerful tools for attracting and retaining talent.
On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother Wallace sits down with Danny Twilley, assistant vice president of economic & community development at West Virginia University, and Emily Huguenin, director of Ascend WV, to explore how Ascend West Virginia has become one of the country’s most recognized remote worker initiatives by connecting talent attraction with outdoor recreation and community development.
Danny shares how years of research helped position outdoor recreation as a talent attraction strategy, while Emily explains how that vision evolved into a six-community initiative with more than 660 members and a 96% retention rate.
Listen in to learn:
- How communities can turn their unique assets into a competitive advantage for talent attraction
- How authentic community experiences drive long-term retention
- What role data and partnerships play in building a successful population strategy
- Why the strongest talent attraction programs invest in people, not just incentives
- How West Virginia is adapting the Ascend model to reach graduates and veterans through First Ascent WV and Ascend Heroes
For communities looking to transform their assets into a long-term population strategy, this episode offers practical insights on turning local strengths into a sustainable attraction strategy built around authenticity, belonging and quality of life.
Listen and subscribe to Talent Wars on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. To submit guest or episode topic ideas, email patience.fairbrother@aboutdci.com.
