Dr. Dennis Barber III is the Chesnutt-Bond Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship at East Carolina University’s Miller School of Entrepreneurship. A national leader in rural entrepreneurship, he has authored over 40 peer-reviewed articles exploring entrepreneurial identity, rural context, and small business strategy. His work challenges metro-centric models by emphasizing how place, community, and lived experience shape entrepreneurial outcomes. He co-founded the Rural Research Fellows Program and helped develop the Rural Entrepreneurship Education Certificate through USASBE. At ECU, he launched the RISEUp Academy, a student-led initiative supporting businesses in eastern North Carolina. His classroom model prioritizes community engagement and experiential learning. Dr. Barber served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Small Business Strategy and remains on several editorial boards. He has also served as guest editor for rural-focused special issues in Entrepreneurship Education & Pedagogy and the Journal of Small Business Strategy, further amplifying scholarship on rural entrepreneurial ecosystems.