Meet Jamie Billman: PAWV's New Preservation Manager

Hello everyone! My name is Jamie Billman and I am so pleased to be joining as PAWV’s newest Preservation Manager! I am originally from Pennsylvania, but I have been living in West Virginia since 2018 and I have really fallen in love with the state and its history. I served two years with PAWV's AmeriCorps program at the Old Hemlock site and most recently with the Weston Historic Landmarks Commission, both of which were immensely influential on me. I am a recent graduate from WVU’s public history program and I am so excited to continue my career in historic preservation with PAWV!

In the past I have specialized in oral history projects and the preservation of African American history and historic sites. Most recently I was able to continue working to that goal by documenting the historically Black section of the Weston Old Hill / Arnold Cemetery using ground penetrating radar and also completing an accompanying oral history project on African American education and the Weston Colored School which was funded by a WV Humanities Council mini grant.

Jamie with Bob Yapp

I have been able to attend several hands-on preservation workshops during my time with AmeriCorps and I am so excited to be able to help continue to bring that knowledge to future AmeriCorps members. One particularly special moment for me was to meet and work with Bob Yapp of “About Your House” fame, who came to Weston to work with PAWV and the Weston HLC on the masonry restoration of a small two room brick office building in the historic downtown.

Preserving West Virginia’s historic resources is a passion of mine and I am forever grateful to be given the opportunity to work the Preservation Alliance - a nonprofit that specializes in just that. ​