Robbie Rudolph, a 1973 Fulton Independent Schools graduate, formed Four Rivers Foundation with his wife Lisa in 2010 to
guarantee an opportunity for success for all students in Ballard County, Carlisle County, Fulton County, Fulton Independent,
Hickman, County, the Mayfield / Graves County ATC and the Four Rivers Career Academy. Robbie and Lisa are owners of Rudolph’s Inc.
Through partnerships with Murray State University, West Kentucky Community and Technical College, area businesses and community
supporters, Rudolph strives to create a culture that removes financial and other barriers to create an environment where every
student can be successful. Lisa Rudolph is vice chair of the Murray State University Board of Regents.
Shown here receiving the 2018 KSBA Joseph W. Kelly Award from Commissioner Dr. Wayne Lewis and KBE Board Chair Hal Heiner.
“Robbie has spent close to a decade expanding college and career opportunities for the 3,200 students Four Rivers Foundation serves,”
Commissioner of Education Wayne Lewis said. “We are grateful for his advocacy and confident that the culture of success he has
fostered will continue to grow in decades to come.”
Rudolph continues his advocacy by partnering with the technical centers, West Kentucky Work Ready Skills Initiative and the New
Skills for Youth Cohort II to expand dual credit offerings and create pipelines from the centers through the technical colleges
to the workplace.
“Robbie continues to demonstrate a long-term commitment to making a difference in the lives of all Kentuckians,” Lewis said.
“His dedication of time, resources and talent is truly deserving of the high recognition the Joseph Kelly Award bestows.”
Dianne Owen
Retired school superintendent Dianne Owen has been the director of the foundation since 2011 and has worked part time in the
school districts and technical centers that she serves. In addition to running the foundation, Owen works as the Career
Readiness Coordinator for the Four Rivers Career Academy and Academic Coach for Fulton County Schools.
A grant writer, she has assisted the districts, technical centers, and colleges in acquiring grants to bring programs to the
region that work to meet the mission of the foundation. She was the 2016 Murray State University College of Education and
Human Services Outstanding Alumna and received the West Kentucky Community and Technical College President’s Award for
Excellence in Leadership and Service to Education in 2017. Owen has worked in the field of education for over 35 years as a
English teacher, media specialist, principal and board administrator.
Shown here with Owen is Fulton County principal Ellen Murphy, who received the 2017 WKCTC Outstanding Administrator Award
having been nominated by her own staff, parents, and students.
PROGRAM DIRECTORS
These educators, school personnel and community leaders have volunteered their time and expertise to be
4RF program directors assisting the foundation director in implementing specific foundation programs.
Terry Sullivan
Principal, 4R Career Academy 4RF CTE Program
Terry Sullivan
Principal, 4R Career Academy 4RF CTE Program
Principal Terry Sullivan is the 4RF CTE Director and works with the other area and career
technical centers and school districts in the foundation and West Kentucky Purchase Area to
promote career and technical education, industry certifications, and career pathways towards
higher education in the technical sectors. He works closely with MSU and WKCTC to advance
dual credit and industry certifications for students and young adults.
His center has been awarded a Kentucky state New Skills for Youth grant to create a regional
technical center that partners with the other five technical centers in the purchase area that
promotes middle school career fairs and summer camps and adult education programs.
Mr. Sullivan serves on the Kentucky State Assessment and Accountability Committee representing
career and technical education.
Ellen Murphy
Principal, Fulton County HS 4RF ACT Prep Program
Ellen Murphy
Principal, Fulton County HS 4RF ACT Prep Program
Principal Ellen Murphy is the 4RF ACT Prep Program Director and works with the other school
principals and guidance counselors to coordinate ACT preparation programs in all five of the
high schools in the foundation.
ACT programs include local training from Fulton County math
teacher, Kari McConnel and Foundation Director Dianne Owen as well as professional training
from qualified vendors. She guides new counselors through the process of becoming district
ACT testing sites and communicates with other 4RF contacts to ensure students' needs are being met.
She serves on the Kentucky state Professional Educational Standards Board.
Sondra Gibbs
Principal, Fulton County Elementary 4RF Reading Project
Sondra Gibbs
Principal, Fulton County Elementary 4RF Reading Project
Principal Sondra Gibbs is the 4RF Reading Project Director and works with the other school
principals and reading interventionists to implement the newest foundation program.
This program is part of a Murray State University research project under the direction of
MSU Professor, Dr. Christina Grant. The program has begun with Fulton County, Hickman County,
and Fulton Independent and will grow to include Ballard and Carlisle Counties.
Danny Carr
SRO, Hickman County Schools 4RF FCA Program
Danny Carr
SRO, Hickman County Schools 4RF FCA Program
Officer Danny Carr is the 4RF FCA Program Director and works with the other FCA sponsors
and school principals as well as the regional FCA representative to coordinate FCA activities
through the five school districts.
Although FCA has had clubs in each school, this is the
first year for FCA to be a part of the foundation and have activities such as the 4RF FCA
Field of Faith Night that include all five clubs.
Tessa Ferguson is the Rudolph's Readers Program Director and works with the foundation
director and the elementary principals each year to coordinate and organize the program.
She gathers student data from the schools, works with the vendor to order books, and then
divides them up into grade levels for each school district. She boxes up each set of books
and has them ready for Robbie and Lisa Rudolph to pass out to students in grades P-5 at
each elementary school the foundation serves.
SCHOOL CONTACTS
These principals and counselors have volunteered to be the 4RF school contacts for
their school or technical center. They work with foundation director, Dianne Owen and Robbie and Lisa Rudolph
to ensure that the the dual credit academies, technical centers, and foundation programs have the resources and
support to meet the needs of the students they serve
Terry Sullivan
Principal, Four Rivers Career Academy
Leslee Davis
Principal, Ballard Memorial High School
Jennifer Sullivan
CTC Director, Ballard Memorial High School
Angel Thompson
Guidance Counselor, Carlisle County High School
Ellen Murphy
Principal, Fulton County High School
Nathan Castleman
Director of Student Services, Fulton Independent School
Amy Boaz
Guidance Counselor, Hickman County Schools
Crystal Russell
Guidance Counselor Assistant, Hickman County Schools
Mike Miller
Principal, Mayfield/Graves County Area Technical Center
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Four Rivers Foundation is overseen by a team of directors made up of men and women who are
former graduates of the five school districts and are striving to make a difference in the lives of the river county
students. The team meets annually in July or August and provides oversight to the foundation.
Jeff Campbell
CHAIRMAN
Brett Owen
President, Owen Technologies, LLC 4RF IT Director
Brett Owen is a 2001 graduate of Fulton Independent and 2006 Murray State University with a degree in computer science.
He earned his master’s in computer science from DePaul University in 2011. After 10 years working as CIO for a national produce management company,
he formed his own software development company Owen Technologies, LLC.
He provides technology consulting for the four river schools and technical centers and is responsible for the design and maintenance of the web site.