Mary Catherine Gaston is a communication specialist for the center. Her main responsibilities are writing for web and print and media relations. Gaston holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Auburn University and a master’s in urban and regional planning from Virginia Tech. From her experiences growing up in a small town in south Alabama, Gaston gained a deep appreciation for rural people and communities. Prior to joining the Rural Center, Gaston was part of the communication and marketing team for Auburn University’s College of Agriculture, where she served as social media manager as well as a writer and editor for the college’s award-winning magazine, The Season. She also has nearly a decade’s experience working in rural local governments in south Alabama and northern Virginia. Gaston and her husband, Wes, live in the Concord community in Sumter County, where they are raising two girls, row crops, timber and cattle on ground the Gaston family has farmed for the past century.
What is one item that's produced in rural Georgia that you would not want to live without? "Georgia pines. The number of everyday products that are made using Georgia timber is absolutely mind-boggling. Our family's timber is an investment that future generations will reap the benefits of as well."
Photo by Adrian Myrick