About Rural Empowerment
Rural Empowerment was founded with the purpose of giving back to rural communities across the US by expanding economic opportunity and giving people the tools they need to succeed.
Rural Empowerment is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. We are committed to a completely nonpartisan, nonpolitical approach
Who we are?
We are a group of individuals who have been fortunate to succeed in academia, business, government, and professional services. In our work, we have seen that many rural communities have limited employment options and a smaller range of industries in which to find work. There is a need to create more high paying jobs and to empower entrepreneurs in underserved rural communities across the US. We work closely with a wide network of partners who understand the need to expand options for rural employment and have the knowledge and know-how to help us deliver relevant training programs for 21st century skills.
Board of directors
Jay Challa
Jay Challa is an accomplished business leader, technology executive, and entrepreneur. Jay currently provides management and business consulting services through his strategic consulting company, Shivar Consultants. He is an appointed Member of the Virginia Small Business Commission.
Jay co-founded and sold Ace Info Solutions (AceInfo), an IT services firm that serves Federal agencies. After building AceInfo from the basement of his home to 1,000 staff as CEO, Jay was instrumental in the company’s two exits in the GovCon space within two years. AceInfo was acquired by Dovel Technologies in 2019, and the combined AceInfo/Dovel was acquired by Guidehouse in 2021.Jay is a PMI-certified PMP and a certified Professional Engineer (inactive) in the Commonwealth of Virginia, State of Maryland, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia.
Board of directors
Vinai Thummalapally
Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally most recently served in the Biden-Harris Administration as the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. He brings a wealth of experience from both the private and public sectors. Ambassador Thummalapally previously served as Executive Director of SelectUSA (2013-2017), part of the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he managed the strategy and implementation of SelectUSA to help create jobs, spur economic growth, and promote American competitiveness.
President Obama appointed him ambassador to Belize in 2009, where he served until 2013. Prior to joining the foreign service, Ambassador Thummalapally served as President of MAM-A Inc., a division of Mitsui Chemicals America. MAM-A Inc. was the nation’s leading manufacturer and distributor of archival recordable optical discs.
During his fourteen year tenure the company became the benchmark of the optical disc manufacturing industry.
Are you interested in exploring a training program in your area? Do you have questions about our work?
Please get in touch using the contact form below, or email us at info@ruralempowermentusa.org