Michelle is the Director of Project Development for True Pigments. She has been working on remediating acid mine drainage for a decade. She completed her MS in Environmental Studies at Ohio University with a concentration in environmental monitoring of AMD impacted streams. She has worked as a Watershed Coordinator for Rural Action; led the Appalachian Ohio Watershed Council, a collaborative group of agencies, universities, non-profits, soil and water conservation districts and consulting companies that aims to support networking and mentoring opportunities for watershed groups and their partners in Appalachian Ohio and to provide a forum for a strong voice on regional water resource issues; and served as the President for the Ohio Mineland Partnership, a group whose mission is to support and promote responsible reclamation and wise use of minelands and affected streams by forming partnerships with the public, private industry, and natural resource organizations.

Paul is the Director of Operations for True Pigments. He is responsible for developing and updating the True Pigments business plan, executing a capital raise, and identifying potential customers. Patton also serves as Rural Action’s Social Enterprise Director. In this role, he provides technical and development assistance to Rural Action’s three social enterprises and evaluates opportunities for the development of new ventures. Patton holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the Ohio State University and an MS in Environmental Studies from Ohio University. His academic training focused on understanding and documenting food systems and crop varieties of the Appalachian region, the domestication of native plants by first peoples in the Ohio Valley, and the diversification of modern food systems through the integration of traditional knowledge. Paul’s research has been featured in both regional and international journals and publications.

Debbie is the Chief Executive Officer of Rural Action. Debbie serves as a liaison to Rural Action members, community organizations, and governmental officials to further the impact of the True Pigments project. She joined Rural Action in 2017 as the Development Director after serving as the 94th District’s representative in the Ohio House for 8 years. As a House member, she served on the House Finance Committee, House Education Committee, House Agriculture & Rural Development Committee, the Joint Legislative Ethics Commission, and the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review. Before that, Debbie served the 4th Ward on the Athens City Council. She was also the founding Executive Director of the Ohio Fair Schools Campaign, which was hosted through Rural Action and worked to promote quality public education.