Headshot of a man smiling.

Jason Adkins

This fall, Dr. Leon Mooneyhan will retire after 18 years as chief executive officer for the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC).

At its March 2022 meeting, the OVEC Board of Directors approved a contract with Jason Adkins to succeed Dr. Mooneyhan on October 1.

Adkins currently serves as OVEC’s director of development, overseeing OVEC’s grant writing and fundraising.

In his fourteen year career in development, Adkins has raised over $125 million in competitive grants and donations. In 2017, he earned the Grant Professional Certified (GPC) credential for demonstrating grant knowledge and experience.

He regularly trains nonprofit professionals on grant writing and fundraising through groups such as the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, the Grant Professionals Association, and Grant Writing USA. He is the former president of the Kentucky chapter of the Grant Professionals Association and active in the Fundraising Executives of Metro Louisville and the Greater Louisville chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Adkins career began in 2008 as OVEC’s grant writer. Over the next seven years, his work contributed to a 24% increase in OVEC’s agency budget. In 2015, Adkins moved to Jefferson County Public Schools’ (JCPS’) Resource Development department, where he assisted the district and schools with a variety of grant applications. 

Adkins returned to OVEC in 2018 as director of development, an expanded role that included grant writing, grant management, and fundraising. Since 2018, his work has helped OVEC’s agency budget grow by 32% through new programs, such as Jefferson County Head Start and Early Head Start, the US Department of Justice STOP School Violence grant, and an Education Innovation Research grant from the US Department of Education.

Adkins lives in Shelbyville with his wife Lacey and children Riley (13), Carter (10), and Erin (6).  

“OVEC has achieved so much under Dr. Mooneyhan’s leadership,” Adkins said.  “My goal is to steward our rich history, while pushing us toward an exciting future.”

“For the last fourteen years, I have focused on supporting educators with resources. I can’t wait to work with the OVEC Board of Directors and our amazing staff to bring more resources and support to our region of 15 school districts, over 250 schools, and over 155,000 students.”