Board of Directors

Zach Mendelson

Chair

Zach graduated from WVU in 1982 with a Master's degree in Sports Management. Zach serves as principal in EPIC's Pittsburgh office and has been in the construction and insurance industry since 1989.

Sharon Flanery

Vice Chair

Sharon earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering from West Virginia University in 1978 and was the first female graduate of the program. She began her career as a petroleum engineer before attending law school at Duquesne University.

Gabrielle St. Léger

Secretary

Dr. Gabrielle St. Léger, a three-time graduate of West Virginia University, has dedicated her career to serving students through roles in higher education leadership. Currently, she serves as the Vice President for Student Development and Campus Life at La Salle University.

Kamau Brown

Treasurer

Kamau Brown, originally from Washington, DC, is an English, History, and a Masters of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations graduate of WVU. Kamau has also competed the Executive Program at Harvard Business School. Kamau currently works for Google as a Head of Sales for their Agency Division, managing a team of senior managers and a multi-billion dollar Book of Business. With twenty years of experience, Brown is recognized for his expertise in activating corporate vision.

Marilyn McClure-Demers

Past Chair

Marilyn holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science degree from the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences as well as a Juris Doctorate from the WVU College of Law. She recently joined Steptoe & Johnson PLLC where she will serve as the Office Managing Member for the Columbus, Ohio office as well as serve as Assistant General Counsel to the firm.

Kevin Ellis

At-Large

Kevin Ellis holds a B.A. in Political Science from The Citadel and a J.D. from the West Virginia University College of Law. He has served as Antero’s Regional Senior Vice President, Appalachia since October 2022.

Michael Bell

Member

Michael Bell has more than 20 years of broad experience in the investment management and wealth management industries and nearly a decade of experience in corporate finance.

Michael T. Benson

Michael T. Benson, a veteran higher education administrator, became the 27th president of West Virginia University on July 15, 2025. He brings 3 decades of academic and administrative experience in higher education to his role leading West Virginia’s flagship, land-grant, R1 institution into a new era.

Jihad Dixon

Member

Jihad Dixon is a two-time graduate of West Virginia University and a native of Charleston, West Virginia. He currently serves as the Senior Associate for Strategy and Operations at My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, an initiative of the Obama Foundation.

G. Corey Farris

Member

Corey Farris, a native of Charleston, retired as Dean of Students at West Virginia University. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from West Virginia University.

Mark Gavin

Member

In 2024, Mark Gavin became vice provost of West Virginia University. Gavin originally joined the Office of the Provost in 2018 as associate provost for budget, facilities and strategic initiatives and was later named senior associate provost.

Bill Gray

Member

Bill attended WVU and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1991. After graduating from WVU, Bill completed a Master of Engineering in Engineering Management from the University of Colorado in 2004.

Andrew Hartsog

Member

Andrew Hartsog, a native of Beckley, West Virginia, is the Executive Vice President at Constellis, a global leader in security and government services. Before entering the private sector in 2023, he had completed over 30 years of distinguished government service, culminating in a role as a Senior Intelligence Service (SIS) Executive with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Rozaireo “Ro” Jones

Student member

Rozaireo “Ro” Jones, a junior journalism major from Fairmont, West Virginia, is the WVU Student Body Vice President for 2025-26. Jones is also a brother of Pi Lambda Phi Fraternity and a political contributor for 100 Days in Appalachia, where he focuses on reporting in West Virginia communities, elevating the voices of socioeconomically disadvantaged populations within the state, and bringing their stories to a broader audience.

Abe Key

Member

Abe Key, a one-time player in the Washington, Pennsylvania Pony and Colt Leagues, assumed the Presidency of PONY Baseball and Softball in January 1995. He joined the staff on a full-time basis after graduating from the Reed School of Media and Communications and the John Chambers College of Business and Economics in 1981.

Jim Martin

Member

Jim Martin is President and CEO of Citynet, West Virginia’s leading telecommunications and broadband infrastructure company. A lifelong West Virginian, he launched his first business, MARCOM, while earning his computer science degree at West Virginia University.

Donald T. Robinson

Donald T. Robinson is the President of MVB Financial Corp. Robinson serves the Finance Committee of St. Francis Central Catholic School, the Mon Health Medical Center Board of Directors, and is a Founder of Game Changer, a student-powered substance misuse prevention organization.

Darin Rogers

Member

Darin Rogers, a native of Keyser, WV, attended Potomac State College from 1983-1985 before graduating from Davis and Elkins College in 1988. Darin received a Master's Degree in Management from Troy University.

Veronique Vernot

Member

Veronique Vernot (‘17) earned a dual JD/MBA from College of Law and the John Chambers College of Business and Economics. She is an internationally recognized attorney who serves as legal counsel for Apple Inc., focusing on product integrity, product safety and AppleCare. Her previous role with the company involved global supply chain transactions and environmental technologies. For her efforts, she was selected as a 2022 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Pathfinder.

Anthony Webster

Member

Anthony Webster is a two-time graduate of West Virginia University and a native of Bridgeport, West Virginia, who has held progressive leadership roles across the water technology, pharmaceutical, and mining industries for over three decades. He retired in 2023 as Chief Human Resources Officer for Evoqua Water Technologies (AQUA) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Monté Williams

Member

Monté Williams, Esq. is a three-time alumnus of West Virginia University who leads the General Litigation Practice Group at Steptoe & Johnson in Morgantown. For almost ten years, he worked as a trooper and investigator for the West Virginia State Police and has dedicated many years of service to nonprofit and community service governing boards.

Denise Workman

Member

Denise is an experienced educator who holds a Masters in Special Education for the Gifted from West Virginia University. She is a Teacher of the Gifted for Kanawha County Schools and specializes in student identification, advocacy, enrichment, and talent development. She is a past president and current member of the West Virginia Association for Gifted and Talented.