Emily Satterwhite

Emily Satterwhite is a Professor and Director of Appalachian Studies in the Department of Religion and Culture at Virginia Tech. She specializes in Appalachian cultural history, popular fiction, and identity studies, with a focus on regional narratives and their societal impact.

• Winner of the Weatherford Award for best nonfiction about Appalachia
• Recipient of the Phi Beta Kappa Sturm Award

Her research explores how Appalachian identity is constructed through literature and media, emphasizing community-driven storytelling. Recent media collaborations highlight her work on environmental advocacy, including the Mountain Valley Pipeline protests and post-flood recovery efforts in Eastern Kentucky.

Her book Dear Appalachia: Readers, Identity, and Popular Fiction since 1878 (2011) analyzes the evolution of Appalachian representation in popular fiction.