Preserve WV AmeriCorps Members
Learn more about our new class of Members (listed in alphabetical order by first name) below and visit Preserve WV Stories to read about the service they are providing to revitalize our Mountain State.
candice helms
Hinton Historic Landmarks Commission
Hinton, Summers County
2018-2019 & 2019-2020 Terms
Hinton, Summers County
2018-2019 & 2019-2020 Terms
Candice Helms, may not be native to West Virginia, but upon moving here from Texas in 2015, she quickly found herself deeply in love with the mountains and a huge desire to do better by her community, Hinton. Her main mission was to be as close to the change and growth as she could, for her son’s future.
In May of 2019, she enthusiastically signed on as the Hinton Historic Landmarks AmeriCorps member. The City Manager felt she had been doing most of the work that would be required from her over the past 2 years, and knew she was the one for the job.
In May of 2019, she enthusiastically signed on as the Hinton Historic Landmarks AmeriCorps member. The City Manager felt she had been doing most of the work that would be required from her over the past 2 years, and knew she was the one for the job.
Her focus during this term and beyond, is to empower the locals, preserve Hinton’s history, and be an example of what little we can do to make a huge impact. All the while, taking in, and absorbing as much history as she can.
CONNIE eVANS
West Virginia & Regional History Center
2019-2020 & 2020-2021 Service Terms
Connie is originally from Savannah, Ga; as a “service brat,” where she moved a number of times during her youth to different states. Connie earned her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D., all in History, from Louisiana State University. In 1998, she took a post as an assistant professor history at Baldwin Wallace University, and took early retirement as a full professor in 2015 to pursue a library science degree at Kent State University, which she earned in August, 2016. She has been working as an independent research consultant/genealogist since that time, but sought opportunities to work in the field of public history.
At WV&RHC, under the supervision of Lori Hostuttler, Connie will review and correct the transcriptions of oral interviews done with Professor Emory Kemp, and will start assisting with his collection of materials associated with the Institute of the History of Technology and Industrial Archeology.
2019-2020 & 2020-2021 Service Terms
Connie is originally from Savannah, Ga; as a “service brat,” where she moved a number of times during her youth to different states. Connie earned her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D., all in History, from Louisiana State University. In 1998, she took a post as an assistant professor history at Baldwin Wallace University, and took early retirement as a full professor in 2015 to pursue a library science degree at Kent State University, which she earned in August, 2016. She has been working as an independent research consultant/genealogist since that time, but sought opportunities to work in the field of public history.
At WV&RHC, under the supervision of Lori Hostuttler, Connie will review and correct the transcriptions of oral interviews done with Professor Emory Kemp, and will start assisting with his collection of materials associated with the Institute of the History of Technology and Industrial Archeology.
Dennis Strom
Dennis Strom enjoys historical research, music and theatre. He and his wife own "The LimeLight Theatre Company" where they produce plays, and for six years ran a summer theatre camp for kids. Dennis co-founded the non-profit Charleston Music and Arts Collective. He also collects, restores, and plays guitars.
Emma WIley
Wheeling Heritage (Ohio County)
2020-2021 Service Term
2020-2021 Service Term
Ernest Blevins
Southside Preservation & Enhancement Alliance (Cabell County)
Kanawha Salines Foundation (Kanawha County)
2020-2021 Service Term
Kanawha Salines Foundation (Kanawha County)
2020-2021 Service Term
Ernie, a South Carolina native who relocated to West Virginia seven years ago, holds a BA in Art and Anthropology from South Carolina’s College of Charleston and earned his Master of Fine Arts in Historic Preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Prior to joining the Alliance, Mr. Blevins was on the staff of the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office. Ernie resides in South Charleston with his wife and six children. He is a contributing writer for the Charleston Gazette-Mail, the West Virginia president of the Sons of the American Revolution and an active member of several historical associations.
EVAN Wenner
Cockayne Farmstead, Glen Dale (Marshall County)
2020-2021 Service Term
Evan Wenner grew up in Carey, OH and became interested in history after visiting the caverns that were used by Native Americans and located less than a mile from his house. He received his associate's degree at Hocking College and while there volunteered for AmeriCorps members in charge of cleaning up dumpsites in remote forest areas of Athens County, OH. Evan earned his bachelor's degree in history from the University of Findlay and completed an internship at the local history museum. He fell in love with the work of preserving history and hope to dedicate his life to learning and teaching others history. Evan graduated with a master's degree in history from Simmons University in Boston, MA and worked at some amazing institutions including the U.S.S. Constitution Museum and Old North Church. Evan says, "I am thrilled to be here in West Virginia and honored to be given the opportunity to make a positive impact at this fascinating historic site."
2020-2021 Service Term
Evan Wenner grew up in Carey, OH and became interested in history after visiting the caverns that were used by Native Americans and located less than a mile from his house. He received his associate's degree at Hocking College and while there volunteered for AmeriCorps members in charge of cleaning up dumpsites in remote forest areas of Athens County, OH. Evan earned his bachelor's degree in history from the University of Findlay and completed an internship at the local history museum. He fell in love with the work of preserving history and hope to dedicate his life to learning and teaching others history. Evan graduated with a master's degree in history from Simmons University in Boston, MA and worked at some amazing institutions including the U.S.S. Constitution Museum and Old North Church. Evan says, "I am thrilled to be here in West Virginia and honored to be given the opportunity to make a positive impact at this fascinating historic site."
Iain Mackay
Clio Foundation
2019-2020 & 2020-2021 Service Terms
2019-2020 & 2020-2021 Service Terms
Kalyn Obiozor
Love Your Block Program, City of Huntington (Cabell County)
2020-2021 Service Term
2020-2021 Service Term
Katie Keefer
Love Your Block Program, City of Huntington (Cabell County)
2020-2021 Service Term
2020-2021 Service Term
Kelsey Romer
WVU BAD Buildings, Northern WV Brownfields Assistance Center
2020-2021 Service Term
Kelsey Romer is originally from Front Royal, Virginia, and graduated from the University of Virginia in 2014 with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Architectural History. She started her career in museum interpretation in 2016 and has since worked for such sites as the Washington DC Crime Museum, the President Woodrow Wilson House, the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, and Woodlawn & Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House. She has been an AmeriCorps member since January 2019, starting with American Conservation Experience Southwest in Arizona and then the Hands On Preservation Team of the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area in Elkins, West Virginia. She now serves with PAWV as the AmeriCorps member for the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at WVU and their BAD Buildings Program. Kelsey assists the NBAC team in a variety of ways, including coordinating events and outreach efforts, managing social media, writing newsletters, and providing general project support to the many different initiatives that NBAC participates in. In her free time, she loves gardening, crafting, watching the X Files, playing with her cat, and enjoying her new home in the Mountain State.
2020-2021 Service Term
Kelsey Romer is originally from Front Royal, Virginia, and graduated from the University of Virginia in 2014 with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Architectural History. She started her career in museum interpretation in 2016 and has since worked for such sites as the Washington DC Crime Museum, the President Woodrow Wilson House, the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, and Woodlawn & Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House. She has been an AmeriCorps member since January 2019, starting with American Conservation Experience Southwest in Arizona and then the Hands On Preservation Team of the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area in Elkins, West Virginia. She now serves with PAWV as the AmeriCorps member for the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at WVU and their BAD Buildings Program. Kelsey assists the NBAC team in a variety of ways, including coordinating events and outreach efforts, managing social media, writing newsletters, and providing general project support to the many different initiatives that NBAC participates in. In her free time, she loves gardening, crafting, watching the X Files, playing with her cat, and enjoying her new home in the Mountain State.
Ksenia Bradner
Northern Appalachian Coal Mining Heritage Association, Fairmont (Marion County)
2020-2021 Service Term
2020-2021 Service Term
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Ksenia Bradner grew up in McLean, Virginia near Washington, D.C., and was adopted from St. Petersburg, Russia in 1993. She earned an Associate of Science magna cum laude, and holds a BA history degree from Goucher College. Ksenia's education was tailored to public history, which involves communicating history in an accessible way to the public. Her career goal is to work in the museum field in a position that pertains to public history, rather than archival work or preservation.
She has completed two excellent internships in the museum field - the Civil War Medical Museum in Frederick, Maryland and the National Park Service Museum Resource Center in Landover, Maryland. In 2018, Ksenia worked as a History Interpreter for George Washington’s Mount Vernon during the busy Student Highlights season where the estate greets over a half a million visitors of all ages and nationalities. |
Lauren Griffin
Melissa Nichols
West Virginia Folklife Center at Fairmont State University
2019-2020 Service Term
2019-2020 Service Term
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Melissa Nichols is a native of Fairmont, WV who recently returned to college at Fairmont State University, receiving a BA in English with a minor in Folklore Studies. Both are fields she is very passionate about and is thrilled to continue utilizing in her project through Preserve WV AmeriCorps and working with the archives of Dr. Ruth Ann Musick.
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Moira Gasior
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New River Gorge National River
Glen Jean, Summers County 2020-2021 Service Term Moira is New River Gorge National Park and Preserve's Historic Preservation Analyst. She is originally from New York where she obtained a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology. She is excited to assist in the management of cultural resources and the preservation of the park's historic structures. Moira is passionate about the contextual intersections of class and race within New River Gorge's industrial history; and how this history is translated through the park's remaining structures. She hopes to leave a positive impact through her service. In her down time, she enjoys hiking, cooking, and creating art. |
Susan Cook
Main Street Morgantown (Monongalia County)
2020-2021 Service Term
2020-2021 Service Term
Susan Ryan
Friends of Monroe
2020-2021 Service Term
2020-2021 Service Term
Thomas Miles
Vernessa Pontius
Monroe County Historical Society
2019-2020 & 2020-2021 Service Terms
Vernessa spent her early years in the Washington, DC area, however her family ties go back to the early settlement of Monroe County. She has lived in many part of the country, graduating with an MBA from the University of Oklahoma. She is our volunteer at the Monroe County Historical Society. She is excited to be back at the Historical Society for a second year to continue working with the public and learning about historic preservation.
2019-2020 & 2020-2021 Service Terms
Vernessa spent her early years in the Washington, DC area, however her family ties go back to the early settlement of Monroe County. She has lived in many part of the country, graduating with an MBA from the University of Oklahoma. She is our volunteer at the Monroe County Historical Society. She is excited to be back at the Historical Society for a second year to continue working with the public and learning about historic preservation.
Virginia shimek
Barbour County Historical Society
Preservation Alliance of West Virginia
Philippi, Barbour County
2019-2020 & 2020-2021 Service Terms
Preservation Alliance of West Virginia
Philippi, Barbour County
2019-2020 & 2020-2021 Service Terms
