Dr. Paine joined the WVDE as Deputy State Superintendent of Schools in 2003 after serving as county superintendent in Morgan County. He has also served as principal, assistant principal, teacher and curriculum director in Harrison, Upshur and Morgan counties. Most recently, Dr. Paine has helped lead state school improvement efforts. Dr. Paine is also a recipient of the prestigious Milken Educator Award.

Serving as WV’s Secretary of Education and the Arts since 2001, Secretary Goodwin currently holds seats on the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, the Governor’s P-20 Council, the Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday Commission, the Prepaid Tuition Fund Board of Trustees, and the Workforce Development Review Committee. Secretary Goodwin is the current chairman of the Promise Scholarship Board of Control as well as the Professional Staff Development Advisory Council, and is honorary chairman of the Governor’s Council on Literacy.

Dr. Judy Abbott Is an associate professor in the West Virginia University Department of Educational Theory and Practice. She has dedicated much of her research to literacy instruction. From community partnerships that support such initiatives, to preparing educators to strengthen students’ literacy skills, she has brought greater attention to the urgent need nationally and locally to improve literacy among school-aged children. Additional research interests include instructional practices and motivation related children’s literacy. She has been widely published in leading education journals including the Journal of Literacy Research, and  Reading Research Quarterly as well as in The New Advocate.

Mr. B. Keith Fulton joined Verizon's West Virginia operations after serving three years in Washington, D.C., as the company's vice president of strategic alliances and corporate responsibility. He has dedicated much of his career and service to bridging the digital divide and ensuring technology resources are available to all children. As a Verizon executive, he has worked with more than 100 national organizations on communications-related public policy issues.

Previously, Mr. Fulton held the position of vice president of the AOL Time Warner Foundation and as director of technology programs and policy at the National Urban League. Mr. Fulton earned a bachelor's degree in urban affairs and planning from Virginia Tech; a master's degree in urban policy analysis and management from the Milano Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy in New York, and a law degree from the New York Law School. He also holds a professional certificate in public policy analysis and management from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Kenneth has been an administrator at Wirt County High School for 8 years. He earned degrees in K-12 Behavior Disorders, Mentally Impaired, Learning Disabilities and multi subject k-8 from Glenville State College. He also holds an MA in Educational Leadership from West Virginia University.

Dr. Lowell E. Johnson was appointed to the state Board of Education in January 2004 by former Gov. Bob Wise. He most recently served as the assistant secretary for ports for the West Virginia Department of Transportation. He is currently serving his second term as state board president.
Dr. Johnson is a lifetime resident of West Virginia and currently resides in Lewisburg in Greenbrier County.
Dr. Johnson has an extensive history with education in West Virginia. He earned his bachelor's degree in education from Concord College, a master's degree in guidance and counseling from West Virginia University, as well as a doctoral degree in reading and psychology from WVU.

Gayle Conelly grew up in Beckley, WV, the only child of Carl and Lucille Conelly. Active in the First Baptist Church, the Jerry Rose Dance Company and community service clubs, she graduated with high honors from Woodrow Wilson High School.

She attended West Virginia University, where she attained her Bachelor of Arts in Language Arts and Education and a Master of Arts in Reading. In 1999, she completed a second master’s specialization in Educational Technology Leadership from Salem International University.

While at WVU, Gayle met and married Joe Manchin, III; upon graduation, they moved to Fairmont, WV, where they resided and worked for over thirty years. They have been married for 39 years and are the proud parents of Heather Manchin Bresch, Joseph Manchin IV, and Brooke Conelly Manchin. Now they are experiencing the wonders of being a Nana and Dadoo for their six beautiful grandchildren; Joey V, Kelsey, Madeline, Sophie, Chloe, and Jack.

As an educator, Gayle had the opportunity to work in many Marion County Schools. She also served on the faculty of Fairmont State University and was the Director of the college’s first Community Service Learning Program. In addition, she was active in her children’s activities, the United Way, the Soup Opera, Quota and Junior League.

After moving to Charleston in 2001, Gayle became the West Virginia Director of the AmeriCorps Promise Fellow Program, which served twenty counties. Believing in the opportunities of connecting programs, Gayle, under the Office of Secretary of Education and the Arts, implemented the WV PASS (West Virginia Partnerships to Assure Student Success) initiative. She has served as a national consultant for Dr. Ruby Payne, and is currently a national board member of The Center for Study of Economic Diversity, Inc. in Highlands, TX.

Reverend Donald D. "D.D." Meighen has spent significant energy and time improving the lives of children through education advocacy. He started the first after school program in West Virginia in 1971, and later served as a member of the Harrison County Board of Education. He was instrumental in the bond campaign that led to the construction of a new middle school in Fairmont that opened this year. Two churches that he lead were named State Church of the Year (1999 and 2003) by the West Virginia Commission for National and Community Service and the Governor's Office due, in large part, to his community service. Rev. Meighen has served as chair of Mission West Virginia and United Way of Marion County. Presently, Rev. Meighen is the chairperson of the Family Resource Network of Marion County and moderator of the Fairmont Council of Churches. He received his undergraduate degree from Fairmont State College and a Masters of Divinity at Methodist Theological School in Delaware, Ohio.

Jane has been a classroom teacher for 15 years. She is a member of the WV Department of Education Mathematics Cadre and a teacher trainer promoting Standards Based Mathematics Instruction. She has presented across West Virginia and nationally at National Council for Teachers of Mathematics.

Tom has been the President of Junior Achievement of West Virginia for six years. Junior Achievement, a private not-for-profit organization, accomplishes its purpose of educating and inspiring young people to value free enterprise, understand business and economics, be workforce ready, and improve the quality of their lives by providing economic education programs to students in Kindergarten through twelfth grades. Tom holds an MBA from WVU and lives in Putnam County with his wife and three children.

Vickie has twenty-eight years of classroom experience. In 1996, she was honored with the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award when she taught at Spring Hill Elementary School. She is also a past Cabell County Teacher of the Year. Vickie was the inaugural speaker for Marshall University’s Multicultural Education Program. She is a member of West Virginia Impact, Marshall Impact, and director of her school’s Multicultural Club.

Dr. Stilley has a PhD in Education, has taught at the high school and college levels, and worked for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards to develop the certification process currently in place. She believes strongly in the need for professional development as our teachers need time for training and follow-up feedback to improve our students’ learning experiences.

Nick Zervos is the executive director of Regional Education Service Agency 6 (RESA 6). He has worked to provide high quality educational programs for teachers, administrators, principals and students as well as to the greater community. Zervos works directly with the five counties in West Virginia’s northern panhandle to ensure the quality and cost-effectiveness of educational programs. He is a former educator who understands the professional development needs of teachers and administrators, and works to facilitate an environment of life-long learning for those in his service area.

Dr. Patricia Styles Kusimo has over 25 years of experience in the field of education. She is a former classroom teacher, associate professor of mathematics at West Virginia State University, educational researcher and professional developer and current CEO of the WV Center for Professional Development. She holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Hampton University, a master's degree in education from Pepperdine University and a doctoral degree in educational administration from Texas A&M University.