Doug Ramsden, President    -  Doug is a graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College with a Bachelors of Science degree with a concentration in accounting. He is the Chief Financial Officer and VP of Finance for the Beckley Water Company and  also a Certified Public Accountant. He worked in Public Accounting for 19 years with the firm of Higgins and Gorman, which later merged with Persinger and Company. He is currently the Treasurer at Hospice of Southern West Virginia, holding that position since January 2000. 

​Doug served on the BAF Investment Committee prior to being elected to serve on the Board of Directors. He and his wife Cindy of 37 years are the parents of two children Taryn and Christopher .

Jereme Evans, Vice President  -  Jereme  is a graduate of West Virginia University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Professional Insurance Education. He is a Partner and Principal Agent for the WV Insurance Agency, working there since 1996.

​Jereme has coached youth sports over the last decade, he is involved with Love From the Neighborhood/Pressley Ridge Foster Care and has served on the BAF Student's First Selection Committee over the last 3 years. He and his wife Leah are the parents of two children Ashton and Ty.

Ann Worley, Secretary   -  Ann  is currently a  Councilwoman for the City of Beckley and was a Real Estate Appraiser for many years before her retirement. She is a graduate of Potomac State College and WVU. She lived in Raleigh County on and off for many years, but has been a permanent resident since 1991.
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She has served as President for the Beckley Rotary Club and as President of the WV Municipal League. She is an Elder at the Beckley Presbyterian Church and was the first Secretary when BAF was founded. Ann is the mother of Taylor.

Sabrina Triplett,  Treasurer -  Sabrina earned a B.B.A. degree in Economics from Marshall University and is a graduate of the WV School of Banking. She also holds a WV Insurance License. Sabrina is a Branch Manager at United Bank and has been with them since 2008.

A Raleigh County resident since 2015, Sabrina is committed to serving her community and making it better place to live & work. She has served on the BAF Distributions Committee and is a former graduate of Leadership Beckley. Sabrina is a volunteer for Beckley Events, Read Aloud WV, the Beckley-Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Committee and a mentor with Susan Landis Youth Philanthropists.  Sabrina and her husband Matthew live in Daniels with their son Rhett.

Steven Ballard -  Steve is Sr. Vice President of City National Bank, Beckley, WV. He is a graduate of Concord College and the Stonier Graduate School of Banking, Univ. of Delaware, and is also a certified public accountant.
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Moving to Raleigh County in 1985, Steve is a board member and treasurer of the YMCA of Southern WV, and member of the loan review committee for New River Gorge Regional Development Authority.
He and his wife Kimberly, are the parents of Matthew Ballard, a freshman at Concord University.

John Beasley -   John has been a resident of Raleigh County for 64 years. John currently works as a Physical Therapist at Athletic and Physical Therapy Services, Inc. in Beckley, West Virginia.

John is married to Virginia Beasley, and they have two sons, Tyler and Craig. John and Virginia also have four grandchildren, Delaney, Evan, Parker and Sadie.

Jenni Canterbury  -  Jenni has been a resident of Raleigh county for over 40 years and is currently the Director of Communications at New River Community and Technical College.  Jenni holds a M.A. in Global Marketing, Communication and Advertising from Emerson College, Boston, and a B.A. in Communication Arts with a concentration in Public Relations and Advertising, from Concord University, Athens.

Jenni volunteers with the Beckley-Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce and Read Aloud WV. She has spent her career working in education and for nonprofit organizations in southern WV. She is married to Joe Canterbury, and they have two children, Alice and Jasper.

Sabrina Jenkins  -  Sabrina has been a resident of Raleigh county for 40 years and is currently a Mortgage Professional at First Community Bank in Beckley, WV.  

​Sabrina has been very active in BAF's Distribution and Students First committees prior to serving on the Board of Directors.

​ Sabrina  is married and has three boys.

Michelle Leftwich - Michelle has been a resident of Raleigh county for over 50 years and is currently the Coordinator of ESEA (Federal) Programs for the West Virginia Dept. of Education.  Michelle is a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School,  and she holds a B.A. in Marketing Education and a M.A. in Special Education from Marshall University.

Michelle is a member of the ARH Local Advisory Council, Vice Chair Member of the Community Transformation Project, Advisory Council  of Beckley Dream Center and a member of the Family Worship Center. She is also a volunteer for the Raleigh County Teen Court and served on boards in the past for Just For Kids, RESA-1 and Women's Resource Center.

Born and  raised in Beckley, Michelle is married to Arnold Lee Leftwich and has a son, Joshua Moore. Her parents  were also Raleigh County residents, late Randolph J. Moore and Evelyn Moore. Her family is made up of proud educators.

Deena Salon -   Deena is an advocate for education, having taught locally as Assistant Professor at The College of West Virginia and serving on founding boards and various committees for Mountain State Academy, St. Francis de Sales School and Woodrow Wilson High School.

She has served as President for the Raleigh County Medical Alliance and as a Troop Leader with Black Diamond Girl Scout Council for many years. She is passionate about youth leadership and development, youth athletic opportunities, The Alzheimer’s Association and the Raleigh County Commission on Aging.

​Deena is married to Dr. E. J. Salon and is the mother of three daughters, Sofia, Maria and Elysia.

Clyde Stepp  -  Clyde has been a resident of Raleigh county for 60 years and is currently retired.  Prior to retirement, he was the Principal at Liberty High School. Clyde graduated from Marsh Fork High School in 1968 and went on to get a B.A. in Teacher Education from Glenville State College in 1972. He also holds a M.A. in Health and Safety from WVU and a M.A. in Leadership Studies from Marshall University. 

Clyde has been instrumental in the revitalization of Marsh Fork High School Alumni Memorial Park, acting as Treasurer for 11 years. He is also a board member for the Raleigh County Parks and Recreation.

Married to Pauline M. Stepp, they have one daughter, Paula Stepp Barker. They also enjoy  spending time with their two granddaughters and two great granddaughters.

Gavin Ward -  Gavin grew up in the Beckley area, attended Independence High School, Concord University, and WVU College of Law. Upon graduating from WVU College of Law in 2013, he worked for the Beckley Sanitary Board as staff attorney for two years. He worked for Stephen P New, as an associate Attorney, for one year after his time with the Beckley Sanitary Board. He opened his own law firm, Ward Law Office PLLC, in July 2016, where he focuses on mainly on property and transactional law. Gavin also currently works part time for the Beckley Sanitary Board and the City of Beckley as an attorney. 

He volunteers for many community events through Beckley Events, including Chili Night, Beckley Kids Classic Festival, Appalachian Festival, Rhododendron Festival and multiple Car Shows in Uptown Beckley. Gavin was elected to the WV Association of Fairs and Festivals Board of Directors in 2015. He assumed the role as President of the WV Association of Fairs and Festival in April 2018 and  served a two-year term.
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Gavin also serves on multiple Boards of governmental or nonprofit organizations, including The Beckley Salvation Army, Raleigh County Planning and Zoning, and the Downtown Beckley Business Association.

New Board Members

BAF would  like to welcome our newest board members Rick Lay and Robert Doug Smith. Your insight and expertise will make a wonderful addition to our board of directors.

Kacy Korczyk-Bailey    -   Kacy has been a resident of Raleigh county for 28 years and she owns On Point Health & Wellness in Beckley.  Kacy  attended WVU for her B.A. in Psychology before receiving her M.S. from Southwest Acupuncture College in Boulder, CO.  After completing her M.A., she received her D.Ac. from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine.

Kacy is a previous board member of American Red Cross, and has been involved with United Way of SWV, Presley Ridge, local animal shelters and many other local nonprofit organizations.

Kacy is married to Dr. Heath Bailey and has two step-daughters Abby & Ava. Her and Heath are happily expecting a baby this fall.

Rick Lay - Rick moved to Raleigh County in 2013 with his wife while searching for an area to retire. He attended Virginia Tech graduating with a B.S. in Computer Science.  Prior to retirement, he was the IT Manager at Marathon Petroleum Company.

​Rick is currently a  member and volunteer for Carpenter's Corner, he serves on the board of directors for the WV Woodturners Association, and he also serves on the board of directors for the Glade Springs Village POA.

Rick and his wife Stoya currently reside in Daniels. They have a son, Chris, and two grandchildren Caleb & Liam.

Robert Doug Smith - Doug grew up in Southwestern Pennsylvania and graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from Waynesburg University in 1978. He worked for three years at a regional CPA firm in Wheeling, WV and moved to Beckley, WV in 1981. He was a partner in a large local CPA firm until  October 2006, when he joined Vecellio Group, Inc. (VGI) as its Senior VP of Finance.

​Doug semi-retired in January 2023, but still serves as VGI's Director for Compliance and Tax. He also volunteers as an online financial coach for Crown Financial and maintains various credentials including CPA, CCIFP and CKA.

Doug has served on various church and community boards over the years and enjoys spending time with his family. Doug and his wife Jody presently reside in Beckley. They have four children and nine grandchildren. Doug and Jody established the Natalie Jo Smith Scholarship Fund at BAF in 2010, in memory of their daughter.

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Departing Board Members

The Beckley Area Foundation would not be where is it today without our your dedication, expertise and service to the community. Your time with us is deeply appreciated and you have helped BAF showcase the power of community.

Kevin Heath Bailey DDS - Dr. Bailey was born in Alexandria, VA and moved to Raleigh County in July of 1978 with his family. He graduated from Liberty High School in 1989, attended Marshall University graduating with a B.S. in 1994. He was then accepted into the dental program at WVU where he graduated with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in May of 1998. His awards included the Teledyne Excellence in Prosthetic Dentistry, Senior Dental Student Award, Outstanding Clinical Competency and Professionalism and the Synergy with Dental Implants.

​He is currently a member of the American Dental Association of WV, New River Dental Society, New River Valley Dental Implant Study Club, American Academy of Facial Esthetics, International College of Dentists and the WV Executive Council. He practices as a general dentist in Beckley and he presently resides at Flat Top Lake. His two daughters are the love of his life. He is a member of the Akers Missionary Baptist Church.

Julie Kominsky    -   Julie has been a resident of Raleigh county since 1995, previously living in Atlanta, GA  and is a native of Plantation, FL.  Julie currently works with her husband, Dr. Michael Kominsky in his chiropractic clinic in Beckley.  Prior to her current position, Julie was the Clinic Director for Ideal Weight Loss of Beckley for 7 years.  Previous to moving to WV, Julie was the Executive VP of Creative Event Marketing in Atlanta where she worked for 10 years.  She is a graduate of Emory University and did undergraduate work at UNC at Chapel Hill where she was also on a swimming scholarship.  Julie was also a member of the Board of Directors for the YMCA of Southern WV for 8 years.

The Kominsky’s have a daughter, Alexandria who works as a Literary Agent for Dupree Miller in Dallas, TX and a son, Miles, who is a sophomore at Davidson College and on a track and field scholarship.

Ray Morton - Ray is a Private Wealth Advisor for Ameriprise Financial Services, and an active member of our community. In addition to the BAF Board of Directors, Ray serves on the Board for the BRCCC, is the Board Secretary for Goodwill Industries of Kanawha Valley, and is the Board Treasurer for the WV State Rehabilitation Council. Other involvements in the community include being a Cranberry Elementary School Partner in Education, past area governor for Toastmasters Beckley, and is active in his church, St. Frances de Sales as Special Minister of Eucharist. Ray is a graduate of Clarion University of PA, and is married to his wife of 33 years, Anastasia Fama Morton.  They have one son, Alexander Fama Morton.

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Past Board Members

Original Incorporators
Charles K. Connor*,   President and Executive Director
Dr. C. Richard Daniel*
Leslie C. Gates*
Alex D. George*
Phoebe Tieche Herring*
Elmo Hurst*
Charles S. Lewis, Jr.*
Warren A. Thornhill III*, President
Leo Vecellio, Jr.
James W. Word, Jr.*, President

Past Board Members
Langhorne Abrams,   President
Kevin Heath Bailey
William H. Baker
Tom Briers
Hazel R. Burroughs,   President
Dan R. Calfee
Jonathan Calfee
Austin Caperton
Michael Cavendish,   President
Roslyn Clark-Artis,   President
Conrad Cooper,   President
Sherry Cushman
Dr. C. Richard Daniel, Jr.
Frederick Wayne Davis
Dawn Dayton
Dan Doman
Dr. Brett Eckley
Dr. Ed Eckley,   President
Linda Eckley
Ned B. Eller,   President
Sam Elmore,   President         
Dr. A.D. Faheem   
Robert N. File
William H. File III,   President         
Larry Ford,   President                     
Karen Gallagher*,   President
Leslie C. Gates*
Alex D.”Zan” George,   President
Harry W. Gilbert, Jr.
Deborah Songer Gray
Judy Lilly Harrah
Patsy H. Haslam*
James C. Higgins*
​C. R. “Rennie” Hill, III
​Donald D. Hodson  
Rachel Abrams Hopkins
Charles S. Houck
​Beth Jarrell
Bonny Jarrell
Dr. Thomas Jarrett
Patricia Johnston
Nancy Kissinger
Susan S. Landis*,   President and Executive Director
Judge Bruce Lazenby
Tom Lemke
John L. Lilly,   President
Dr. Juddson Lindley
“Mabs” Loflin*,   President
Charles “Chuck” Lucas
Forest Lynch
Marion “Mike” Massinople,   President
Carolyn McCulloch*            
Lee Milam
D. F. Mock III            
​Ray Morton
Margaret Njoku
Bill O’Brien
Sara Otto*
Dan Page
Sandra Palen                         
Mary Palmer
E.M. “Ned” Payne, III,   President
Jack Phillips
Joseph Phillips*
Susan Pietrantozzi 
Linda M. Polly
Emmett Pugh*
Robert Rappold
William F. Richmond Jr.
Darryl J. Roberts
Amanda Sauchuck
Robert Sayre,   President
Yvonne D. Seay
Dr. Henry Setliff
Hulett C. Smith*
Nancy Smith*
Pete Torrico,   President
Cynthia Turner,   President
William L. Turner   
Christopher R. Vaught, President
Dr. Joel Wagoner
James W. Word III,   President
Paula Wykle  
 
*Deceased