We are most fortunate to have a strong and engaged board of directors representing Fayette County. The board meets six times per year and each director also serves on at least one of our active committees.
PJ Stevenson
CHAIR
As a 30 year resident of Fayette County, PJ enjoys volunteering for a bevy of civic organizations including the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce, New River Gorge Convention & Visitors Bureau, Fayette County Parks & Rec Board, and the Bridge Day Commission as the community and vendor advisor. Two mantras that have spurred PJ’s involvement are “The world is ruled by those who show up.” and “Real doers do.”
In her spare time, you will find her gardening, making art, or playing outside. She lives in Beckwith with her husband and dogs.
Jim Maxwell
VICE CHAIR
Jim has been living in WV since 1975. Jim earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from WVU and an associate degree in physical therapy from Mountain State University. Jim enjoyed a 20+ year career of outdoor recreation in Fayette and Raleigh Counties. In his second career, Jim worked as a PTA for 7 years in Oak Hill. Jim currently owns and operates a massage studio in Fayetteville.
Jim lives near Clifftop with his 2 teenage kids and a few furry friends. He enjoys coaching the boys soccer team at Midland Trail High School. For peace and joy he spends time playing soccer, hiking, biking, skiing and whitewater rafting/kayaking in wild and wonderful WV.
Mike Cassidy
TREASURER
Mike is a 10 year resident of Fayette County and has been in the area rafting for 20 years. Mike is a retired certified public accountant, after spending 25 years as chief financial officer of a utility construction company based in the southeast. His hobbies include whitewater rafting and traveling. Volunteering for the New River Animal Rescue and becoming a part time travel agent are things he does in his spare time during retirement.
Melanie Seiler
SECRETARY
Melanie Seiler grew up in Fayette County and enjoys outdoor recreation in all four seasons. A graduate of the Adventure Recreation Management Program at WV University Institute of Technology and executive director of Active Southern West Virginia. Melanie values family time with her husband, step-daughters, and mother who all call Fayette County home.
Becky Sullivan
DIRECTOR
Becky is a Fayette County native with more than 25 years of experience in the tourism industry. One of her first jobs was working at a restaurant in Yellowstone National Park, our nation’s oldest national park. Currently, she is the director of the NRG CVB promoting our nation’s newest national park. Along with her current role as the NRG CVB director, she is also the president for the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce and on the Bridge Day Commission.
She is the oldest of 3 with deaf parents, so sign language was her first and primary language growing up. Becky currently lives in Oak Hill with her husband Cliff, their son Jack, and two dogs Hank and Maisy.
Danny Swank
DIRECTOR
Danny was born and raised in Fayette County. He received his PharmD degree at West Virginia University where he met his wife, Jessie, a Moorefield West Virginia native. Danny practices as a clinical pharmacist for AccessHealth. He serves as president for the Fayetteville Youth Basketball League. The Swank family, including 3 kids and a dog, are active the the community. Outside of basketball season you can find them mountain biking, camping, rafting, and enjoying many other forms of recreation in the New River Gorge area.