Voices of Hope NRV

Mike Wade

Mike Wade is a lifelong resident of Virginia’s New River Valley and has worked at NRVCS for more than 26 years. As Coordinator of Community Wellness and Outreach, Mike is responsible for the agency’s external communications and media relations. In 2018, he added supervision of the NRVCS prevention team to his job, eventually rebranding that work as Community Wellness and Outreach. Mike blends his background in journalism and graphic design with a genuine desire to have a positive impact on the community he has always called home.

Ross Wilsie

Ross Wilsie is Behavioral Wellness Media Specialist at New River Valley Community Services and one of the co-hosts of this very podcast!  Ross’s lifelong passion for using audio and video to capture and preserve stories led him to join the Community Wellness and Outreach team at NRVCS in 2022, and he often comments that he has finally figured out what he wants to be when he grows up. Ross, his wife, and his two boys live in a small farmhouse in Blacksburg that backs up to Jefferson National Forest, and they each enjoy taking advantage of the trails and other outdoor recreation that surrounds them.  While cherishing times of solitude as a means of self-care, Ross is eager to get the word out about the importance of community in each of our lives as we strive to have healthier families and communities.

Danette Gibbs

Danette Gibbs is Executive Director of the Campus Suicide Prevention Center of Virginia. With a PhD in Clinical Psychology and a background in higher education and community coalition development, Danette has spent much of her career helping people navigate challenges, build resilience, and find the support they need to thrive. Her work has brought together individuals, schools, and communities across Virginia to strengthen suicide prevention efforts and promote wellness. But beyond her professional roles, Danette’s favorite title is “Mom,” and she aspires to make the communities in which her young children will learn and grow safer and more supportive for all.

Pasha Palanker

Our guest today is Pasha Palanker, a retired U.S. Army Special Operations Master Sergeant whose experiences have taken him from some of the most intense moments imaginable to a deeply personal journey of healing and growth. Pasha recently gained some unexpected attention when a crosswind gust slammed him into the jumbotron at Virginia Tech’s 2026 Spring Game during a planned parachute drop. After facing some harrowing experiences during combat operations in Iraq, Pasha returned home to a different kind of battle as he struggled with the lasting effects of the trauma he faced overseas.  Today, he speaks openly about what it took to confront those challenges, take accountability for his life, and find a path toward recovery. And, yes, we’ll also talk about the recent mishap at Lane Stadium.

Jim Harris

Dr. Jim Harris is the Director of the Interdisciplinary Behavioral Health Center at Marshall University, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work, and founder of Opportunities Consulting Services. With a background that spans behavioral health, education, and early intervention, Dr. Harris has spent his career helping organizations and individuals better understand human behavior and create meaningful change. A TEDx speaker whose presentation was recognized as an Editor’s Choice talk, Dr. Harris has worked with organizations including the Fred Rogers Company, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Justice.