People

Staff

Rachelle Thorne, Executive Director

Rachelle started with us in January 2020 as our new Executive Director and since then she's hit the ground running- launching community recreation initiatives throughout the county, such as Wellness in the Park and the PCPaRC Trail Crew. She has a gazillion more ideas and loves working towards enhancing the quality of life for Prestonians, as well as promoting Preston County as a recreationally rich destination for all. She brings with her a wealth of experience and knowledge in parks and recreation management, as well as public land preservation and environmental protection. She has extensively studied mine pools throughout Preston County and finds them, as well as the county's coal mining history, fascinating. When she's not plugging away at grant writing and planning for Preston County's recreational future, she loves to mountain bike, ride gravel roads and rail-trails, and adventure with her daughter and pups outside.

prestoncountyparks@gmail.com

Kristy Ridenour, Secretary

Board of Commissioners

Josh Waugh, President

Josh moved to Preston County in 2012. He graduated from WVU with a Master's and Bachelor's in Physical Education and Health teaching. He has taught at Aurora School since 2013. In his spare time you can find Josh running on the trail, playing his guitar, or hanging with his family.

Devra Deems, Vice President

I was born and raised in Illinois and graduated from Illinois State University in education. I received my master’s degree from WVU through the Parks and Recreation Department in environmental education. I taught in the Preston County Schools until retirement in 2012. I live along the Cheat River near Rowlesburg. I have always had a deep passion for the out doors and staying active. I appreciate being a PCPaRC commissioner helping to give others the opportunities to stay active and healthy.

Matthew Weaver, Treasurer

Matthew is a Preston County native with a background in IT project management for the Department of Defense, Federal, and State government projects. He has a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and an Associate's degree in Engineering Management and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Carl Ervin

Carl is a lifelong resident of Preston County. Retired from Monongahela Power, Albright Station after 36 years, and Preston County Senior Citizens Buckwheat Express after 3 Years. Has served on PCPaRC since 2017. Enjoys the outdoors and spending time with family, learning from and teaching his 5 grandchildren. He has been involved with development of trails in Preston County with FOC since 2002.

Monk Tasker

James “Monk” Tasker is a Preston County native. Monk graduated from Terra Alta High School in 1970 before joining the Armed Forces and serving in Vietnam. Monk is and has been an active community member, donating his time and efforts serving on the Town Council, the Beautification

Committee, as Treasurer of the Oak Grove Cemetery Association, as well as many other local community service activities. Monk retired from Arch Coal Company after a 35 year career in the industry. He and his wife of 45 years, Kathy, raised their daughter and son, Kristy and AJ in Terra Alta.

Suzann Benson

I was raised in the Brandonville/Bruceton Mills area of Preston County until going to college at Fairmont State where I graduated with a degree in nursing. After which I married Dean Benson, also from Bruceton Mills. We returned to Kingwood after living in Bridgeport for 30 years where we raised three daughters. We love the laid back enjoyable life here.

Sara Saurino

Sara is a native of Preston County. She is a professional landscape architect and a graduate of WVU. Currently, Sara owns and operates Studio on Stony Run, PLLC landscape architecture design company locally in Preston County. She has served on the PCPaRC since 2012.

Mike Argabrite

Mike Argabrite has served as pastor of Grace Chapel Baptist Church in Kingwood, WV for the past 42 years. He is a native of Preston County, living in both Terra Alta and Kingwood, and graduated from Kingwood High School in 1968 and then received degrees from Fairmont State College in 1972 and Reformed Theological

Seminary in 1979. He and his wife of 50 years, Barbara Decker Argabrite, raised their four sons: Scott, Jon, Jay, and Tim, in Kingwood. They also have 11 grandchildren. Mike has served as a commissioner for PCPaRC since 2012.

Alisa Kilkenny

Jen Kelly

Jen is a native of Preston County, graduate of WVU, and Pre-K teacher. Camping, spending time with family and friends, kayaking and cheering on the mountaineers are some of her favorite things. Jen has served as a commissioner for PCPaRC since 2015.

Kevin Dixon

Kevin is a Preston County native. He has worked in the C. Eugene Bennett Department Of Chemistry at West Virginia University since 2001. Kevin spent 15yrs as a youth wrestling coach with the Preston Mat Club. In his spare time he likes distance running and spending time with his two sons, Ryder & Kash.

Former Commissioners & Staff

These folks have played a vital role in the history of PCPaRC and are forever a part of our family.

Lauren Griffin, Development Coordinator

Originally from Wheeling, Lauren graduated from WVU in 2019 with degrees in History and International Studies. While serving as an AmeriCorps at Arthurdale Heritage, Lauren got to know Preston County and decided to stick around and join PCPaRC as our Development Coordinator! In normal times, Lauren enjoys traveling, cross-stitching, and finding geocaches around Preston. Recently she's been helping us out with fundraising and planning the 2021 Dirty Double Gravel Bike Race.

Michael Bradley, AmeriCorps VISTA, Recreation Engagement Coordinator

A resident of Kingwood, Mike was drawn to PCPaRC because of his love for the county's rail-trails. As our Recreation Engagement Coordinator, Mike worked largely towards growing the capacity and sustainability of our Trail Crew and Wellness in the Park program. He has experience as a personal trainer at Camp Dawson Event Center, in addition to years of experience in management. Mike loves PCPaRC and will tell you his three sons empower him to work towards making Preston County the best county for his family and yours.

Aubrey Bartman, Intern

Aubrey is a student in the WVU Parks and Recreation Program. She learned about PCPaRC through a course project she worked on where she developed a conceptual plan for the WV Northern Rail-Trail Trail Center that is planned for the trail Gateway across from the Civic Center. She loved the projects we are working on and we are honored she accepted an internship with us. She is worked on an interpretive signage design plan for the WV Northern Rail-Trail, as well as other fun projects. Once implemented, her interpretive signage design plan will greatly enhance the trail experience for residents and visitors alike with interesting facts on the coal, railroad, and environmental history along the former rail corridor.

Dale McVicker, Commissioner 2012 - 2016, President 2016 - 2022

Dale is a Preston County native. He is a retired educator (teacher and principal) who worked in Preston County for 35 years, and 10 years for the WV State Department of Education as a consultant in struggling schools throughout West Virginia.

Valorie Dixon, Bookkeeper 2019 - 2022
Emily Carlson, Executive Director 2018 - 2019
Mark Wilt
Jason Mazza
Lynn Housner
Paul Martin
Matt Bright
Chad Bishop
Vickie DeReggi, Secretary
Tim Argabrite
Cathren Reeves
Jason Bolyard
Andy Fisher
Aaron Moorehead