Edwards Announced as 2026 Commencement Speaker
The 55th Annual Commencement at your Eastern Shore Community College in Melfa, will be held on Wednesday, May 13th at 5:00pm (rain date is Thursday, May 14th). The college is excited to announce our commencement speaker for this momentous occasion is Jeannette Edwards, Chief Executive Officer of Eastern Shore Rural Health (ESRH).
Edwards officially assumed this permanent role in July 2023 after serving as interim CEO since January of that year. With a career at ESRH spanning over two decades, she previously served as the Chief Human Resources Officer starting in 2000. Her long tenure has been marked by a deep commitment to the Eastern Shore community, where she has led significant fundraising efforts, capital campaigns, and outreach programs aimed at expanding healthcare access. She was honored in 2010 by being named the ESRH Employee of the Year.
Under her leadership, ESRH has undergone a major expansion of its physical facilities and services to meet the region’s growing needs. In 2023, she oversaw the opening of the Express Care facility in Onley, which provides urgent care services, and the acquisition of the Atlantic Community Pharmacy in Oak Hall. Continuing this momentum, she spearheaded the opening of the Onley Community Pharmacy in March 2024. Her strategic initiatives focus on “polishing the apple” by improving customer service, including a new streamlined system for patients to voice concerns and an aggressive recruitment drive for new medical providers.
Edwards is also a prominent figure in Virginia’s public and civic life. In 2023, she was appointed by Governor Glenn Youngkin to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. Her professional accolades include being named the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce Small Business Person of the Year in 2016 for her role as co-owner of Edwards’ Seafood, and receiving the Distinguished Service Award from the Chamber in 2022. Additionally, she has been recognized with the Soroptimist Club’s Ruby Award and the Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellow and President’s Award for her extensive volunteer work, which includes 13 years coordinating the Onley United Methodist Church’s coat closet. Years of fundraising experience also led to her being honored as 2014 Campaign Chair by the United Way of Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
In recent years, Edwards has led ESRH to significant organizational achievements, including the Virginia Rural Health Association Best Practices Award in late 2025 for its school dental program. The health system was also named to the Winter 2025 Serve Virginia Honor Roll for its contributions to the community’s quality of life. A graduate of Salisbury State University with a degree in biology, Edwards continues to advocate for rural healthcare in Richmond and Washington, D.C., focusing on securing federal funding and protecting programs like the 340B drug discount program.
The ESCC Commencement is a ticketed event with a limited number available for students to share with family and friends. The event will be broadcast live and streamed on WESR-FM 103.3 (elasticplayer.xyz/wesr/) and can be seen on Facebook Live on the Eastern Shore Community College Facebook page.