Meet our 2021-2022 AmeriCorps Co-hort!

Kelsey R.
Serving with Woodlands Development Group!

Kelsey graduated from the University of Virginia in 2014 with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Architectural History. She started her career in museum interpretation in 2016 and has since worked for such sites as the Washington DC Crime Museum, the President Woodrow Wilson House, the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, and Woodlawn & Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House. She has been an AmeriCorps member since January 2019, serving her first term with American Conservation Experience in Arizona. She then moved to West Virginia to serve with AFNHA’s Hands On Preservation Team, followed by the Northern WV Brownfields Assistance Center and their BAD Buildings Program via PAWV. For her fourth (and final!) AmeriCorps term, she is serving as the Historic Preservation AmeriCorps at Woodlands Development Group. In her free time, she loves gardening, crafting, watching the X Files, and enjoying her new home in the Mountain State.

Julia D.
Serving with the Monongahela National Forest in Restoration!

My name is Julia and I recently graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in Ecology and Anthropology. I grew up moving all over the country and West Virginia seems to be my final frontier before hopefully settling down in Raleigh, NC with my family and attending grad school. I’m a huge nerd at heart and can’t wait to explore all the strange and wonderful animals and ecosystems that West Virginia has to offer!

Morgan G.
Serving with the Elkins Welcome Depot!

Hi! My name is Morgan. I am from Willmar, MN and graduated this May from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln with degrees in Anthropology and Global Studies (Go Big Red!). As a recent graduate unsure of what I want to do, I applied for AmeriCorps because it is a great way to gain experience and explore a career field that interests me. I enjoy hiking and other outdoor recreation, so I’m excited to be in an area with so much to offer!

Emma P.
Serving with the West Virginia Railroad Museum!

Hello! My name is Emma. I was born and raised in Redding, California, and I graduated from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon with a degree in History. I came to the West Virginia Railroad Museum for the chance to get more hands-on experience in the museum field. In my free time, I enjoy making art and listening to podcasts.

Hannah S.
Serving with the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge!

I'm from Good Springs, Alabama, and got a degree from the University of Alabama in environmental science in 2016. Since then, I've been working seasonally with rafting consuming my summers and skiing/snowshoeing filling my winters. Last year I served my first stint with the Canaan Valley NWR, and enjoyed it so much I signed on for year two! I enjoy being outside for work as well as for play; so you can most often find me hiking or biking local trails, whitewater kayaking or rafting, or skiing the slopes, depending on the season;) Excited to be in Canaan Valley, WV for another year!

Joe M.
Serving with the Green Bank Observatory (GBO)!

I recently graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Biology. During my studies, I had a vested interest in studying Ecology, and the majority of the classes I took were related to the Ecology field. While serving with the AFNHA AmeriCorps at GBO, I will be conducting inventories of existing trails to determine ways to enhance them for accessibility while keeping the environmental impact to a minimum, as well as leading the creation of a half-mile loop trail behind the GBO Science Center that is accessible to all visitors. During my year of service in and around the Green Bank community, I am hoping to build new connections with those in my chosen field as well as those around me that my decisions impact directly. I am aiming to build myself professionally during my time with the GBO into a better candidate for graduate school programs as well as develop my research capabilities further. As for where I come from, I grew up in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania with my parents and my younger brother. I was also surrounded by animals throughout my childhood, as my family has always had multiple dogs in the house at a time, currently there are three. With this experience, as well as my time in the Boy Scouts, I found myself with a love for animals that was sparked by research in population ecology of Gray Catbirds on my local college campus. All of my experiences have made me who I am, and I am looking forward to this new venture in a brand new area.

Jessica B.
Serving at the Beverly Heritage Center!

I graduated from Longwood University, located in Farmville, Virginia. I majored in public history and minored in photography! Home for me is Northern Virginia. I’m so excited to be returning to the Beverly Heritage Center for another service year! I learned so much last year and I can’t wait to learn even more.

Emily L.
Serving with the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge!

I received my degree in Wildlife & Fisheries Resources from West Virginia University in 2016. Previously, I have spent time in Texas working at a rescue center for exotic cats and in North Dakota as a range ecology technician. My educational and career interests are in global wildlife conservation, mammalian behavior, and human-wildlife conflict. I am very excited to return to West Virginia and serve in AmeriCorps!

Hannah F.
Serving with the Augusta Heritage Center!

My name is Hannah and I’m from Wheeling, West Virginia. This spring, I graduated from Emory University with a degree in history. I’m excited to spend this year doing service in my home state and learning more about West Virginia's rich history.

Claire T.
Serving with Arthurdale Heritage!

Hi I’m Claire! I graduated from Shepherd University with a BA in history with a minor in gender and women studies in May 2020. I interested in studying women’s history and the digital humanities. I recently served with the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia and am excited to join AFNHA. I am looking forward to serving at Arthurdale and learning more about the community.

Arabeth B.
Serving with the Greenbrier Historical Society!

Hi, my name is Arabeth, and I am an archivist and historian who has had many  fortunate experiences working in a variety of repositories and GLAM (Gallery, Library,  Archive, Museum) organizations with diverse and unique collections. I am most  passionate about creating archival access and outreach projects where community  members are engaged and empowered through sharing THEIR voices and taking  ownership of THEIR stories. 

As a modern-day archivist, I feel that we have a lot of work to do on repairing  broken-down relationships from the past. I personally strive daily to be a proactive  steward for representation and equity in archives, and I aim to help create and foster a  more inclusive environment for ALL archival users. In my free time I love researching pop-culture history, reading, going on nature  walks, and spending time with my loved ones. I enjoy photography, watching old-school  (early-to-mid 1990s) Nickelodeon shows, and I was recently appointed as a Board  Member to The Poe Museum (The Edgar Allan Poe Museum) in Richmond, VA.  

I am really looking forward to my year of service with AmeriCorps, and working with the folks in Greenbrier County!

Maria B.
Serving with AFNHA in Recreational Tourism

Hi, my name is Maria and I will be serving with AFNHA as the Heritage Tourism Associate at the Darden Mill in Elkins. Originally, from Manhattan, my family and I moved to West Virginia in 1991. Most of my background is in Business Administration; however, I have always been involved in building up my community through volunteering. I enjoy working with committed people who share a common belief that we can overcome obstacles and bring about good changes.  While I am not quite ready to retire, I am fortunate to be in a position to offer my skills and experience in support of the community-building efforts already in process.

In my “free” time, I enjoy reading, writing, and photography. I am looking forward to learning more about the culture and history of the Highlands of West Virginia and Maryland while exchanging ideas with this brilliant and enthusiastic team of AmeriCorps members.