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Lou Ann is the Immediate Past President of VAPDC. She has served on the VAPDC Board of Directors since 2018, including two years as President in 2023 and 2024, while also serving on the Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commission. She has served in elected office since 2003, when she first won a Director seat on the Clinch Valley Soil and Water Conservation District Clinch Valley. She was President of the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and since 2016, she has been the District II Supervisor on the Russell County Board of Supervisors.
“Lou Ann has been a strong advocate for many causes over the years,” said 2025-2026 VAPDC President Dwayne Tuggle in presenting the award. “Her passion, determination and hard work show up in whatever she touches, whether it be advocating for a cleaner environment, regionalism, good local government or stronger communities.”
Lou Ann also has worked over the years to strengthen communities throughout Southwest Virginia, and has owned and operated an advertising business for over 30 years.
Planning District Commissions were enabled by state legislation in 1968 and most were established the following year. There are 21 PDCs and Regional Commissions in Virginia made up of elected officials and citizens appointed by local governments. The purpose of Planning District Commissions is to encourage and facilitate regional solutions to problems of area-wide significance. This is done by promoting the efficient development of the physical, social, and economic policies of all districts by assisting local governments to plan for the future. The PDCs of Virginia joined together to create the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions in 1987 to share best practices and further regionalism across the Commonwealth.
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