About Us

MSESC was formed in December 2017. The founding members include Lincoln, Mason, Mingo, and Wayne counties. Logan County joined MSESC in June 2018.

Mountain State ESC’s mission is to provide quality educational services to our members, non-member school systems, and non-profits to leverage resources in order to meet the needs of school districts and communities in West Virginia. Mountain State ESC administers AEPA WV, an educational purchasing cooperative that supports all 55 WV school systems, municipalities, and other 501(c) non-profits in West Virginia.

The Cooperative operates under the oversight of a local-elected Governing Council comprised of five county superintendents and five county board members. The ESC also provides support to educational entities, 501(c) non-profits, and other government agencies in finance, instruction, administration, and personnel. MSESC is able to develop programs and services to maximize local, state, and federal monies to meet the entity’s needs.

Jan Hanlon has served as an educator, school administrator, and district level CTE/Curriculum Director for over thirty years in rural West Virginia.

Ms. Hanlon currently serves as the Executive Director for Mountain State Educational Services Cooperative. During her years as the CTE/Secondary Curriculum Director, she implemented a pilot program for Simulated Workplace in Logan County. The West Virginia Department of Education awarded the program a Model CTE school award. Her expertise in working with poverty-stricken communities has been invaluable and has benefited many students and educators through various initiatives.

Ms. Hanlon serves on the executive council for AESA, Association of Educational Service Agencies, and represents West Virginia’s membership on AEPA, Association of Educational Purchasing Agencies. Currently, Ms. Hanlon serves as a member on the WV First Lady’s Communities in Schools task force to ensure at-risk students graduate on time by creating a network of support.

Tammy is the program development director for Mountain State ESC. She works with K-12 education by providing technical assistance, professional development, and curriculum support.

She also works extensively with AEPA cooperative purchasing. Additionally, she supports the substitute teaching program and serves as the liaison between Marshall University and K-12 teachers for graduate course programs offered to improve educators at a reduced cost.

Tammy is a graduate of Marshall University. She holds a BA in elementary education K-6 and a MA in Reading Education PK-Adult. Tammy has worked with educational services for more than four years. She worked at the county level as a secondary instruction coach, staff development coordinator, TIS, and teacher.

Rhonda Preece serves as the Executive Secretary for Mountain State Educational Services Cooperative (ESC), where she plays a vital role in supporting leadership, coordinating operations, and ensuring the efficient delivery of services to member school systems.

Known for her professionalism, organization, and deep institutional knowledge, she provides essential administrative support that helps advance the ESC’s mission of strengthening education across the region.

Rhonda is respected for her attention to detail, collaborative spirit, and commitment to serving educators and students, making her a valued and trusted member of the Mountain State ESC team.

Roy serves as the Facility Operations specialist at Mountain State ESC. This role requires management of all processes, services, and tools needed to run the facility. It involves implementing best practices, operational sustainability, and meeting legal and safety standards.

He helps ensure that the organization’s objectives and best practices are being followed, allowing Mountain State ESC to meet productivity and efficiency standards.

He also assists with fire safety, security, cleaning, and other maintenance needs.

Tinessa is the Assistant Chief Financial Officer at Mountain State ESC and oversees business operations and growth of the organization.

Her role involves a deep understanding of our core operations, market trends, and competitive landscape. She helps with developing and executing strategic plans and managing important business initiatives.

She is essential in guiding the organization toward achieving its business goals and long-term success.

Erin is a coordinator at MSESC working with English as a Second Language (ESL) professional development.

In 2012, she received a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education and ESL from Marshall University. She has taught ESL for nearly 10 years in both K-12 public and private schools and in Higher Education.

She also teaches ESL teacher certification courses for Marshall University.

Troy is a Communications Specialist at Mountain State ESC. He provides media coverage and support to Mountain State’s member counties throughout West Virginia.

Troy received a Bachelor’s Degree from Marshall University, majoring in Online Journalism with a minor in film.

In his off time, he enjoys hiking with his dog Brownie and spending time with family.

Charlene Coburn recently retired from the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) where she served as Officer of Support and Accountability, overseeing School Improvement, the School Leadership Network, and Accountability.

Ms. Coburn has enjoyed a successful, rewarding career in education for 34 years which includes experience at the Office of Education Performance Audits (OEPA) before working at the WVDE where she served as a Federal Programs Coordinator and School Improvement Director, prior to becoming the Accountability Officer. Early in her career she served as a teacher, instructional coach, and Director of Federal Programs for Lincoln County Schools.  Instructional leadership has been a primary theme throughout her career. She has experience in mentoring school, county, and state level administrators and leaders and has in depth knowledge of the WV State Accountability System and West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) policies.

During her tenure at WVDE, Ms. Coburn developed a team which supported low-performing schools focusing on instructional leadership, principal leadership, and effective practices which resulted in positive outcomes.  She has knowledge of the WV Educator Evaluation and Professional Growth Plans, Local Board Member Annual Self-Appraisal, and School Safety (WVBE Policy 4373). Ms. Coburn’s experiences have afforded her the opportunity to collaborate with local school board members, superintendents, and county office administrators regarding policy requirements, tools, and best practices to promote high quality education opportunities for WV students.