Brandon McBride

Executive Director
Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)

Brandon McBride, who joined the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) as executive director in November 2020, works closely with the commission’s federal co-chair and 13-member governors and their staffs to lead implementation of ARC’s economic and community development initiatives.

He previously served as the administrator of USDA’s Rural Utilities Service, leading the agency as it made significant investments in improvements to existing and new infrastructure across rural America with a focus on water and waste treatment, electric power, and telecommunications services.

McBride has also served as the vice president for federal relations at the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC), overseeing legislative and regulatory issues affecting the organization. He has legislative experience as well, having been a senior staff member for the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry and a senior legislative assistant for a United States senator from Arkansas.

McBride earned his undergraduate degrees as well as his master’s degree in public administration from Arkansas State University.