Ken Tawney is a semi-retired lawyer with Jackson Kelly PLLC in Charleston.  He lives in Elkview.  He serves as President of Elk River Trail Foundation, and also serves on the Board of Directors of WV Trails, Inc. He is a past president of 25045 – A New Clendenin, Inc. and still serves on its board.  Ken also currently serves on the statewide Steering Committee for the USDA’s Rural Partners Network. He is a former officer of Governor’s One Shot, Inc., and formerly served on the board of United Way of Central West Virginia. His wife, Cyndi, is publisher of Elk River Living magazine.

Mitch DeBoard, a farmer and a bus driver, is the Foundation’s Vice President and a resident of Clay County.  He is the President of both the Clay County Business Development Authority and the Buffalo Creek Watershed Association and was recently the project manager overseeing the $7.88 million project to replace two washed-out railroad bridges on the rails-with-trail section of Elk River Trail.

After a stint in the Marine Corps and ten years as an IT Manager, Rick Ferris added a Ph.D. to his BS in Management and MBA degrees. Rick began teaching at the college level and has taught nearly 100 college courses and thousands of students. He now teaches management, statistics and marketing courses and is the digital marketing Program Director at the University of Charleston.  Rick is actively involved in faculty governance, alumni relations for the School of Business and Leadership, and is the faculty advisor for an outdoor recreation club on campus. He volunteers for several organizations in and around the Charleston WV area. Rick is the Secretary of the Foundation.

Matt Holbert, a Clendenin native and resident of Pinch, WV, is the co-owner of the Clendenin Brewing Company in Clendenin, the Bricks & Barrels restaurant and Uncork & Create in Charleston and Rolling Smoke BBQ in Big Chimney. Matt is a Solutions Architect with Peraton, a former senior network engineer, and former electronics engineer at the National Security Agency.

Barry Curry, a resident of Clay County, is a retired Project Manager for the WV Department of Environmental Protection. Barry is the chair of the Foundation’s Water Trail Committee.

Dave Knight is the owner of the Yak House in Clendenin, a kayak rental, bike rental and airBNB business. He is also a member of the Clendenin City Council and President of 25045 – A New Clendenin, Inc. Dave also continues his license registration business and is the former owner of Knight Insurance.

Matt Lyons is the Emergency Manager/Fire Chief/Facility Security Officer at Chemours (old DuPont) chemical plant. He is an Officer on the Clendenin Fire Department, a Board Member for both Metro 911 and Kanawha, Putnam Emergency Planning Committee (KPEPC).  Matt is also a Chief Master Sergeant with the WV Air National Guard. Matt is the Chair of the Foundation’s Rail Trail Committee.

Lori Dittman is a native Braxton Countian who resides in the Gassaway/Frametown area. An avid runner, Lori has completed runs in all 55 West Virginia counties. Since 2006, Lori has been a teacher in Braxton County, currently teaching 8th grade West Virginia studies at Braxton County Middle School. In addition to teaching, Lori owns Elk River Paddle and Yak, renting kayaks to locals and those visiting to enjoy water sports on the Elk River from the Sutton Dam to Duck, WV. Elected in 2022, Lori has been serving as the representative for the 63rd District in the West Virginia House of Delegates. Lori also serves on the Board of the Gassaway Area Improvement Council actively working to improve the town for residents and visitors. Lori has been married to her husband, Will, since 1990 and they are the parents to one daughter, Hannah, who is an LGSW in Morgantown. Lori and Will have completed the WV Waterfall Trail and enjoy hiking with their dogs.

Beth Salvo is an owner of Bigfoot Braxxie’s Bikes in Gassaway, the Trailhead Farm Meats & More in Gassaway, and Coon Creek Cove Farm.  Beth is very active in numerous community affairs in the Town of Gassaway and Braxton County, including the Braxton County facade renovation project, Gassaway Days, the Gassaway Farmers Market, and Sutton Moose Lodge.

Jeff Skidmore is a resident of Braxton County and retired Sergeant from the West Virginia State Police. Jeff served as a former Mayor for the Town of Gassaway.  He is a Member of Braxton County Development Board as well as a small local business owner.

Terrell Ellis is the President and CEO of Advantage Valley, Inc. that works with the State of West Virginia, local governments, county economic development authorities, sector and business leaders, chambers of commerce, academic and training institutions, and nonprofit partners to showcase its nine-county region and strengthen the economy. Terrell is the Chair of the Foundation’s Trail Town Committee that works with the Towns of Clendenin, Clay, Gassaway and Sutton to promote economic development and an outdoor recreation and tourism-based “trail towns” economy along the trail. She is the President/Owner of Terrell Ellis and Associates, Incorporated, and the former Director of Local Development Initiatives with the West Virginia Development Office.  Terrell lives in Charleston, WV.

Scotty Stone is the Southern Program Manager for Career Services at Goodwill Industries of the Summit, where he deploys career services and nonprofit programming to communities across southern West Virginia. He was previously employed with WVU Tech where he worked to establish the Service and Learning program. He currently serves as Board Secretary of the Clay County Business Development Authority. Scotty is a 2024 graduate of the Generation West Virginia Fellowship and a proud alumnus of the FBI Citizens Academy. Scotty’s expertise lies in executing programs, establishing community partnerships, and putting in sweat equity through volunteer hours. He was recently elected to the Board of the Elk River Trail Foundation and is passionate about leveraging the trail to drive outdoor recreation and economic growth. Scotty lives in Mink Shoals, WV, is an avid kayaker, and trains for 5K races on the Elk River Trail, including the yearly YWCA Race to End Racism and Active Southern WV Bridge Day 5K.

Phil Dobbins is the Superintendent of Schools for Clay County, bringing decades of experience in education, athletics, and community leadership. Over his career, he has served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, and athletic director, primarily at Clay County schools. He is also an active supporter of youth sports, having coached football, baseball, soccer, and track, and served in leadership roles with the Clay County Youth Football League. Currently, he represents his region as Quadrant 2 Leader for the West Virginia Association of School Administrators. A dedicated family man and avid runner, Phil enjoys spending time on the Elk River Trail and is committed to the success and well-being of young people across the region.

Clint Cochran, a resident of South Charleston, WV,  is the WV Division of Natural Resources’ District Park Manager for the area that includes the Elk River Trail. He is the DNR’s ex officio board member on the Elk River Trail Foundation’s board.

Chelsea Ruby is the Cabinet Secretary of the WV Department of Tourism and an ex officio member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors.