Generation West Virginia Celebrates the Graduation of the 2025 Fellowship Class, Empowering Young Leaders Across the State
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2025
Generation West Virginia (GWV) proudly celebrated the graduation of the GWV Fellowship Class of 2025 in a ceremony held in Charleston. This leadership development program for young professionals brings together emerging leaders from across West Virginia — from the Northern Panhandle to the Southern Coalfields — to strengthen their skills, expand their networks, and deepen their investment in the Mountain State’s future.
The GWV Fellowship brings together up to 30 young professionals annually for a comprehensive leadership development program that strengthens skills, expands networks, and deepens participants’ investment in West Virginia’s future. The program not only develops individual leaders but helps employers retain talent and build stronger teams, addressing one of the state’s most pressing economic challenges.
“Looking ahead, I feel more equipped to take on leadership roles within my organization and those that impact my community. The Fellowship program gave me the confidence to trust my ideas and speak up,” said Hannah Chenoweth, Quality Management Administrative Specialist at WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital. “It also helped me strengthen my skills in collaboration, problem-solving, and communication. It helped enforce my leadership style of leading with both purpose and adaptability.”
The GWV Fellowship Class of 2025 includes professionals representing a wide range of industries and communities:
- Hannah Chenoweth, Quality Management Administrative Specialist, WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital
- Jess Clark, Executive Coordinator, Coalfield Development
- Kristen Cosner, Director of Communications for Academic Support and Services, Office of the Provost, West Virginia University
- Steve Curry, Associate Planner, City of Huntington
- Abbi Davis, Compass Program Director, City of Huntington
- Sarah Fox, Administrative Liaison, Huntington Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Catherine Gooding, Economic Development Specialist, WV Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall University
- Brady Hillegas, Associate Engineer, Allegheny Design Services
- Blake Heslop, Lease Operator II, Expand Energy Corporation
- Zane Hornbeck-Buseman, Program Officer, West Virginia Land Stewardship Corporation
- Taylor Hobbs, Masters Level Counselor, Behavioral Medicine Clinic, Williamson Health and Wellness Center
- Cody Justice, Director, Mingo Family Support Center
- DJ Kaylor, Production Foreman, Expand Energy
- Emily LeMaster, Mechanical Designer, ZMM Architects and Engineers
- Samuel Lusk, Economic Development Director, City of Princeton
- Angela Maxwell, Architect, Edward Tucker Architects
- Mariah Melanko, Vice President & Senior Trust Officer, Retirement Plan Services, WesBanco
- Shakita Micek, CEO and President, MD Formula, LLC
- Kansas Moore, Assistant Director, Hatfield McCoy Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Lucas Morgan, Manager of Rehabilitation Services, WVU Medicine – Reynolds Memorial Hospital
- Andrea Newlon, Structural Engineer, Pickering Associates
- Gwennan Richmond, Preservation Trades Program Manager, Stewards Individual Placements
- Parker Surface, Administrative Project Manager, WVU Medicine
- Aimee Setchell, Special Programs Coordinator, The Fairmont-Morgantown Housing Authority
- Sean Thomas, Associate, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
- Joe Westwright, Software Engineer, Google
- Tucker Williams, Enrollment Counselor, Marshall University
- Colton Young, Director of Revenue Cycle Operations, Vandalia Health/Grafton City Hospital
“As the largest producer of natural gas in the country, it’s important for us to retain and attract top talent. By investing in young professionals, we’re not only strengthening our workforce, but we’re empowering future leaders to shape their communities and drive meaningful change across the state” said Stephanie Paluda, Community Affairs Manager, Expand Energy Corporation.
“Generation West Virginia has connected me with some of the brightest minds in our state. Watching these professionals grow over the past year has been incredibly rewarding—their talent is essential to West Virginia’s future,” said Scotty Stone, GWV Fellowship Program Manager. “As we surpass one hundred fellows, we’re excited to see them drive change in their workplaces and communities, elevating young talent and expanding opportunity statewide.”
The GWV Fellowship is proving that when you invest in young West Virginians, they invest back in the Mountain State. Program data indicate that 80% of Fellows remain in West Virginia, with 87% receiving offers to stay with their sponsoring employers post-Fellowship. Perhaps most striking: Fellows see an average 34% salary increase following program completion, a powerful indicator of career advancement and growing economic contribution to the state.
Millennials and Gen Z will make up more than 60% of the nation’s labor force by 2030, underscoring the importance of programs like these to support young adults’ growth in West Virginia, a state that has seen a decline in this population over several decades.
Applications for the GWV Fellowship Class of 2026 are now open. Employers and individuals interested in sponsoring a Fellow, or those who know emerging leaders who would benefit from this program, are encouraged to visit generationwv.org/fellowship to learn more and apply. To support this program and the work of Generation West Virginia, visit generationwv.org/donate.
About Generation West Virginia
Generation West Virginia equips young West Virginians with key skills and career opportunities, ensuring their ability to thrive in the Mountain State. By connecting young adults with resources, opportunities, and each other through their workforce development initiatives, GWV is committed to building a stronger, more prosperous West Virginia for generations to come. To learn more, visit www.generationwv.org.