by Tarah Kesterson
Sometimes, the most impactful partnerships begin with a simple conversation between longtime colleagues.
That’s exactly what happened when Alleyn Harned, Executive Director of Virginia Clean Cities (VCC), and Karen Jackson, Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Logistics Systems (CCALS), reconnected. Having both previously served in a Governor’s office and spending decades leading innovative initiatives across the Commonwealth, the two quickly found common ground once again—this time around emerging technologies like hydrogen and unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drones.
What began as a discussion soon evolved into a strategic collaboration.
Virginia Clean Cities, a leader in advancing clean, domestic fuels, and CCALS, a unique partnership of industry, government and academia focused on transforming logistics systems, have formalized their relationship through a memorandum of understanding (MOU). The partnership comes at a pivotal time, as CCALS expands its footprint into Southwest Virginia following recent funding from the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission.
Through this collaboration, Virginia Clean Cities brings valuable on-the-ground expertise to the region, led by Clean Communities and Economic Development Director for Southwest Virginia, Tarah Kesterson. Kesterson joined VCC in February 2025 as part of the Mid-Atlantic Clean Cities and Communities Expansion (MACCCE) program, helping extend the organization’s reach further west.
“CCALS is proud to partner with Virginia Clean Cities to support the advancement of the Cardinal Center for Autonomy and Energy and emerging hydrogen and hydrogen-hybrid initiatives in Southwest Virginia,” said Karen Jackson. “Together, we will align resources and expertise to accelerate deployment, strengthen infrastructure, and expand workforce opportunities—further positioning the region for next-generation energy and unmanned systems innovation.”
“When we set the goal to hyperfocus our good work in Southwest Virginia, we knew it would lead to exciting opportunities with innovative partners,” said VCC Executive Director Alleyn Harned. “Collaborating with organizations that share our passion for the region will lead to exciting outcomes.”
The partnership is already gaining momentum. CCALS has joined Virginia Clean Cities as a member organization, and Jackson will contribute her expertise at the inaugural Mid-Atlantic Advanced Transportation Summit & Expo in Harrisonburg this July. She has also collaborated with regional partners through the Resilient Virginia Collaborative Alliance’s Clean Transportation Workgroup, sharing insights on advancements in drone technology and CCALS-supported projects.
Looking ahead, the partnership between VCC and CCALS is intentionally open-ended, allowing both organizations to remain agile as new opportunities emerge. Together, they are well-positioned to drive innovation, strengthen regional capacity and support the growth of advanced transportation and energy solutions in Southwest Virginia.