The Rural Impact

Land use decisions are shaping the future of rural America—from the rapid growth of data centers to new opportunities for producing food and renewable energy on the same land.

In Part One of this episode, A Conversation about Land Use and Powering Rural, Michelle Rathman talks with Custer County Commissioner Jason Strouf and Umatilla County Commissioner John Shafer about data center development in their communities. They expl...

In this episode of The Rural Impact, host Michelle Rathman sits down with Leslie Dach, Founder and Chair of Protect Our Care, for a conversation about what these policy changes mean for rural communities and why the impact extends far beyond insurance coverage.

Leslie explains why rural Americans are particularly vulnerable to changes in Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. With rural hospitals already operating on extremely tight...

In this episode of The Rural Impact, host Michelle Rathman is joined by Heather O’Loughlin, Executive Director of the Montana Budget and Policy Center, to explore the policies and economic decisions affecting healthcare access and rural quality of life across Montana.

Their conversation examines Montana’s implementation of Medicaid community engagement and work reporting requirements, including concerns that additional ...

One year after the passage of H.R.1 and the creation of the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), The Rural Impact revisits one of the most significant policy shifts affecting rural healthcare. Host Michelle Rathman is joined by three nationally recognized rural health leaders to discuss what's changed, what challenges remain, and where opportunities for innovation are emerging.

In Part One, Mi...

For more than a century, why has rural America been described as being "in crisis"? In this thought-provoking episode of The Rural Impact, host Michelle Rathman sits down with historian and author Steven Conn to explore the myths, realities, and historical forces that continue to shape rural America.

Drawing from his book Lies of the Land: Seeing Rural America for What It Is—and What It Isn't, Conn challenges many assumptions...

As artificial intelligence expands and the demand for digital infrastructure accelerates, rural America is increasingly at the center of conversations and controversies over energy production, data centers, land use, and economic development. But who benefits from these projects, who bears the costs, and how can rural communities ensure they have a meaningful voice in decisions that will shape their future? In this episode, Michell...

In this power-hour conversation, Michelle begins by welcoming returning guest expert Joan Alker, Executive Director and Co-founder of the Center for Children and Families.  Joan shares recent research focused on understanding the impact of the increasing uninsured rate for young children and the two explore the significance of health insurance for children under six, including regular checkups and developmental screenings, tr...

In this episode of The Rural Impact, Views from the Field: Farm Bill 2026, host Michelle Rathman speaks with Senior Legislative Director of the National Association of Counties Blaire  Bryant and Commissioner Dakkia Bradshaw, from Telfair County Georgia, about the growing challenges facing rural communities as federal policies reshape healthcare and nutrition programs. Bryant outlines the realities of rural healthcare, i...

In this solo Memorial Day and early summer episode of The Rural Impact, host Michelle Rathman shares reflections from the road while attending the National Rural Health Association Annual Meeting and previews several major policy conversations the podcast will continue exploring throughout 2026 and into 2027. Michelle discusses the expansion of the podcast’s “Tracking Transformation” series, examining rural health...

In this episode of The Rural Impact, host Michelle Rathman continues the "Tracking Transformation" series with a closer look at how states are using Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding to modernize rural healthcare through technology.

In part one, Michelle is joined by Maya Sandalow, Associate Director of the Bipartisan Policy Center, who discusses how investments in telehealth, remote patient moni...

In part one of this episode, The Precarious State of Public Education, host Michelle Rathman continues the series on the state of rural education with policy expert Paige Shoemaker DeMio. Paige is a Senior Policy Analyst for K-12 Education Policy at the Center for American Progress (CAP). Before joining CAP, she served as a secondary social studies teacher in Cleveland. As a former educator, she has a passion for developing e...

In part one of this episode of The Rural Impact, “Rural Counties Responding to Policy Shifts: The Impact of Civic Engagement,” Michelle speaks with two rural leaders navigating complex policy challenges: Commissioners Hope Harmon and Paul W. Heimel. Harmon, a County Commissioner in Ben Hill County, Georgia, champions education, healthcare, economic development, and public safety. Heimel, in his 19th year as a Coun...

In part one of this episode, USPS Under Threat and the Impact on Rural America, Elena Patel, Co-Director of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, joins Michelle to break down the growing financial crisis facing the United States Postal Service. Elena shares insights from her recent research on the USPS funding model, explaining how the shift from letter mail to digital communication h...

In part one of this episode, Rural Education: Public Funds for Private Schools, Dr. Melissa Sadorf, Executive Director of the National Rural Education Association (NREA), joins Michelle to discuss the evolving landscape of rural education. Dr. Sadorf shares insights from the 2022-2027 NREA research agenda, highlighting the importance of spatial and educational equity and how policy decisions shape students' and communities' o...

In part one of this episode, Tracking Transformation: Opportunity for Some, for Others Pain, Michelle sits down with Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Center for Children and Families at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy, Joan Alker, as well as Dr. Shannon Dowler, who is a family medicine physician, serves on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Family Physicians, and an expert leader in...

In part one of this episode, The Inescapable Impact of Immigration Policies on Small Towns and Rural Communities, Michelle sits down with Emmy and Murrow Award–winning video storyteller, content strategist, and co-founder of 515 Productions, Lynn Melling, to examine how immigration policies and ICE operations are shaping life in small rural communities like Melrose, Minnesota. Lynn shares insights into the cultural, eco...

In part one of the episode, Tracking Transformation: Great Healthcare Plan & Threats to Food Security, Larry Levitt, Executive Vice President for Health Policy at KFF, joins host Michelle Rathman. Larry oversees KFF's policy work on Medicare, Medicaid, the health care marketplace, the Affordable Care Act, racial equity, women's health, and global health.  

In this conversat...

In part one of the episode, Tracking Transformation: Funding Awarded. Now What? Michelle Rathman invites Grace Creek Advisors' Bob Atlas to discuss his analysis of the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). Bob is an executive consultant in health policy and strategy, serving public - and private - sector clients nationwide on health care delivery and financing. The health care safety net is a special focus of his work.

In the...

Every year, National Rural Health Day is a chance to recognize and celebrate the dedicated efforts of rural health advocates and partners working to improve rural life. On November 20, 2025, The Rural Impact celebrated with something special, a live, story-driven event that lifted the voices behind The Rural Effect.

Over the past two years, over a dozen Community-Based Organizations across Massachuse...