Harley Schaub
Rural Architecture Lead
Harley (Schuster) Schaub holds a Master of Architecture from Kansas State University and participated in the award-winning Net Positive Studio, which designed and built rural housing projects in St. John and Ogden, Kansas. The studios work earned the Kremer Prize for outstanding collaborative design. A native of North Central/Northwest Kansas, Harley has focused her career on workforce housing and downtown adaptive reuse. She previously served as a Dane G. Hansen intern with Republic County Economic Development, where she researched rural housing and developed housing designs, and later worked with HTK Architects in Topeka.
Jenny Russell
Director
Jenny Russell, Director, brings more than fifteen years of rural economic development experience. She has led housing research, community assessments, surveys, and housing initiatives across Republic and Jewell Counties while administering grants from the Kansas Health Foundation and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas. Jenny has supervised multiple architecture interns, helped establish four land banks, implemented Housing Assessment Tools, advanced downtown adaptive reuse projects, and served on the Aspen Institute’s Rural Economic Development Philanthropy Innovators Network (REPIN) and the Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center Board.
Alex Weber
Board Member
Alex Weber is our newest board member. She moved back to Kansas from her architecture position in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has seen the rural housing crisis firsthand, having dealt with it in her move back to the State. Alex was also part of the NetPositive Design Studio at Kansas State University that built a panel-built house in Ogden, Kansas and helped to build the same type of house in St. John Kansas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rural Forward?
Rural Forward, a Kansas nonprofit creating affordable rural housing through panel-built homes, workforce housing, rural architecture, and community partnerships.
What kind of projects do you work on?
- Rural housing nonprofit
- Kansas rural housing
- Workforce housing Kansas
- Rural architecture
- Affordable rural housing
- Panel-built homes
- Rural community development
- Rural housing experts
- Rural housing solutions
Why is Rural Forward focused on rural housing?
America is facing a housing crisis, primarily in our rural regions. This crisis can be attributed in part to two main issues: affordability and sustainability. Read more here.
Where does Rural Forward work?
Currently, Rural Forward serves rural Kansas, but we are open to projects in other rural areas of the United States. Please contact us to inquire!
Why does Rural Forward also focus on Economic Development Consulting?
Housing is only a small part of helping rural areas thrive. Oftentimes, housing is only as successful as the structure behind the scenes. Ask about Economic Development Consulting for your community!