Webinars / Online Events

Upcoming Events

The Current Policy Landscape and Its Implications for Rural Wellbeing and Opportunity January 22, 2026 12:00PM EST

Join us for a free webinar where a panel of experts from the Rural Sociological Society examine how today’s shifting policy environment is shaping rural wellbeing and opportunity. We’ll explore the impacts of the “big beautiful bill,” the recent federal shutdown, and state legislative sessions, highlighting how these developments create both challenges and openings for rural communities across the United States.

Panelist: Shannon Monnat - Syracuse University

Shannon Monnat is Director of the Center for Policy Research, the Lerner Chair in Public Health Promotion and Population Health, and Professor of Sociology in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. Monnat is a rural demographer and population health scholar whose research examines trends and geographic differences in health and mortality, with a special interest in rural health and health disparities. Monnat has published over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, and she regularly writes policy briefs for non-academic audiences.

Panelist: Becky Schewe - National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Becky Schewe (she/her) has spent nearly twenty years researching agriculture, rural communities, and the environment. She holds an M.S. in Rural Sociology and a PhD in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a passionate advocate for a sustainable agricultural and food system and evidence-based policy. She comes to National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) from the Maxwell School for Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University where she has researched agricultural and food system policy impacts, conservation behaviors, and their connection with social systems like labor equity.

Panelist: Kevin Alejandrez - Oregon Health Authority

Kevin Alejandrez is the School Outreach & Engagement Advisor for the Oregon Health Authority. There, he works at the intersection of health and education, partnering with education entities and youth-serving organizations across the state to share information about the Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid), and identify opportunities to increase awareness and access to services for youth and their families. He also serves as a community engagement consultant with Omnis Education, working with education leaders to advance educational equity and improve student outcomes in Oregon.

Panelist: Ann Eisenberg - West Virginia University

Ann Eisenberg is the Patrick D. Deem Professor of Law at West Virginia University College of Law and the Research Director for WVU’s Center for Energy and Sustainable Development. Her research examines how law affects rural populations and shapes the rural economy. Her 2024 book, Reviving Rural America, debunks common myths about rural people, places, and law, and was recently featured on the Aspen Institute’s 2025 List of Books for Rethinking Rural Development.