Cultivating partnerships that improve health, strengthen communities, and transform systems
Objectives for WVFIMC Summit
● Provide networking and information sharing opportunities
● Reinforce core concepts of Food Is Medicine
● Provide updates on Coalition projects, activities, and priorities
● Learn from one another about key FIM topics
● Advance strategic planning
● Align on priorities and action areas for the year ahead
Lacy Davidson Ferguson
WVFIMC Summit Chair | WV Department of Agriculture
Kent Leonhardt
Commissioner | WV Department of Agriculture
Dr. Arvin Singh
Secretary of Health| WV Department of Health
Year in Review and Year Ahead
Merinda Stricklen
WVFIMC Co-Chair | FamilyCare Health Centers
Gina Wood
WVFIMC Co-Chair | WVU Extension Family Nutrition Program
Where Does Healthcare Integration Stand
Moderated by Cordel Bostic
West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition
Christy Donahue
Commissioner | WV Bureau for Medical Services
Jordan Pruett
Director, Social Determinants of Health | Aetna Better Health
Katie Lightner
Medicaid Program Director | Highmark Health Options
Natalie Robinson
Whole Health & Equity Director | Wellpoint
Jeff Wiseman
Senior Vice President for Mountain Health Trust | The Health Plan
Featuring programs from across West Virginia
Merinda Stricklen, Deanna Stevens and Kiara Anderson
FamilyCare Health Centers
with guest Mandy Curry | Healthy Kids, Inc.
Nichole Miller, Julie Carr, Melissa Painter, and Jeff Tanner
Roane General Hospital
Kristin DeBoard, Jennifer Hudson, Samantha Runyon, and Amber Nicole Harmon
Williamson Health and Wellness Center
Networking and tabling event
Lacy Davidson Ferguson
WVFIMC Summit Chair
Merinda Stricklen
WVFIMC Co-Chair
Gina Wood
WVFIMC Co-Chair
National Perspectives, West Virginia Opportunities
Moderated by Kristin Sukys
Founder & Principal | FIM Strategies
Sherri Ferrell
President & CEO | WV Primary Care Association
Kathryn Jantz
Principal | Hearthwise Consulting
Rachel Landauer
Senior Clinical Instructor | Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation
Harvard Law School
Educational sessions about various Food is Medicine topics
Healthcare Regulations
Facilitated by Rachel Landauer
Addressing Food Security Through Medicaid Policy and Programs
Facilitated by Kathryn Jantz
From Clinical Care to Community Impact: The Roles of Dietitians, Health Coaches, and CHWs in Food Access and FIM
Facilitated by Gina Wood
Featuring:
Deanna Stevens | Family Care Health Centers
Judy Siebart | WVU Medical Weight Management Program
Leah Fitzgerald | Project Health Kids
Diane Hannah | Community Care of WV
Heather Smith | Heather for Health
Importance and Role of Local Agriculture in FIM
Facilitated by Lacy Davidson Ferguson
Featuring:
Bob Gregory | Berea Gardens
Holly Morgan | WV Farmers Market Association
Robert Trombley | Coalfield Development
Fritz Boettner | GTI Energy
Buffet lunch at Stillwaters
Focused discussions on Coalition priorities and action steps
Nutrition Workgroup
Facilitated by Merinda Stricklen
Evaluation Workgroup
Facilitated by Adam Baus and Andrea Elza, WVU School of Public Health
Policy
Facilitated by Cordel Bostic
Communications and Membership Experience
Facilitated by Dr. Kimberly Becher, Community Care of WV and Lon Moxey, Camden Coalition
Local Agriculture
Facilitated by Lacy Davidson Ferguson and Megan Govindan, WVU Institute for Community and Rural Health
Identify shared priorities and opportunities to strengthen Food is Medicine across West Virginia
Facilitated by Holly Morgan | WV Farmers Market Association
Priorities, next steps, and ways to get involved
Judy Siebart, MS RD CDCES CSOWM NCTTP is the Diabetes Educator and Dietitian for WVU Medical Weight Management. She counsels patients on their wellness journey, both adults and children and their families. She provides education to children and their family as they prepare for pediatric bariatric surgery. She participates in the weekly bean Wednesday’s cooking show live on Facebook. During the growing season she helps with the prescription produce program for their patients, providing fresh produce and ways to incorporate into the diet.
Judy has been a consultant dietitian for over 30 years with Head Start organizations. She received a BS from Penn State and a MS in Community Health Education from West Virginia University. She received her Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) certification in 2009 and her national certification in Tobacco Treatment Practice in 2018 (NCTTP). In 2021, she received her certification in Obesity and weight management (CSOWM).
Judy lives in Uniontown, PA with her husband. They are empty nesters as their three children have moved on, but she still cooks too much food.
Dr. Govindan is a Research Scientist and the Director of the Nourish WV Initiative at the West Virginia University Institute for Community & Rural Health. A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and native West Virginian, she specializes in food systems innovation, focusing on the critical intersection of agriculture and healthcare. Her work utilizes evidence-based research to design farm to health care pipelines that leverage local food procurement to improve patient outcomes. By integrating West Virginia’s agricultural assets with institutional health systems, she is dedicated to cultivating a sustainable models for community wellness that empowers both local producers and the neighbors they serve.
Robert Trombley is the sales and logistics coordinator for Coalfield Development’s Refresh Appalachia Food Hub, based out of the West Edge Factory in Huntington, West Virginia. His background is in distribution, retail sales, and logistics. After moving to Huntington in 2023, Robert began to use his skills to support local farmers and food producers at The Wild Ramp. Through his work in local food initiatives, he has connected farmers and food producers with Food Is Medicine programming across the southern coalfields, allowing these programs to deepen their impact to rural communities by prioritizing local agriculture. He is excited to continue working with WV Food is Medicine Coalition to expand his work with local farmers through the steering committee.
Heather Smith is a wellness coach, exercise physiologist, and founder of Heather for Health, where she has been helping build healthier, more energized lives since 2016. She earned her Master of Science in Exercise Physiology from Marshall University and brings more than 25 years of experience in fitness, nutrition, corporate wellness, physical rehabilitation, and behavior change coaching.
Heather is passionate about helping individuals move beyond the all or nothing mindset and build healthy habits that actually fit real life. Her practical approach combines movement, nutrition, accountability, and sustainable lifestyle strategies to help people improve their metabolic health, boost their energy, and feel confident in their bodies again.
Known for making wellness feel approachable (and even fun!), Heather believes that healthy living shouldn’t require perfection; it should help you show up stronger for the people and moments that matter most.
When she’s not coaching clients or creating new wellness programs, Heather is usually cheering on her two daughters, exploring the outdoors with her family, or finding new ways to make healthy living simple and sustainable.
Healthcare quality improvement leader with 36 years of experience serving rural health clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Since 2006, she has led quality improvement at Community Care of West Virginia, advancing preventive-care outcomes, supporting Uniform Data System reporting and HRSA operational site reviews, and working with clinical leadership, staff, and payers to close gaps in care. Her experience includes supporting Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition and the Million Hearts designation, as well as managing multidisciplinary teams in chronic care management, referrals, outreach, and community health workers. She collaborates with payers and foundations to provide healthy foods for our communities. She also gives back to her community by maintaining a perennial flower bed at a clinic walking trail and volunteering at Mountaineer Food Bank giveaways when possible.
Leah Fitzgerald, RDN, LD is the Community Engagement and Nutrition Specialist at Project Healthy Kids, and is currently completing the Culinary Medicine Specialist Certification Program. Leah works with a team of chefs to make healthy, local, from-scratch meals for childcare centers and schools in the Huntington area. She also advises in medically supportive meal projects that make nutrient-dense, locally sourced meals more accessible to patients who benefit greatly from this resource. Community engagement and nutrition education are aspects of her work that she takes great joy in, always seeking to learn from the folks that Project Healthy Kids is serving and collaborating with.
Lacy Davidson Ferguson is a mom of two free-range kiddos, a regenerative farmer, and a systems thinker who lives at the intersection of sustainable food systems, health, and human behavior. She and her family operate Elmcrest Farm, raising livestock on pasture, growing herbs and log-grown mushrooms, and Twelvepole Trading Post, a farm-to-table café, market, and community gathering place in Wayne, West Virginia.
Professionally, Lacy has been a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for over a decade and a Regional Planning Coordinator in Agriculture Business Development with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, working to empower food and agriculture-based businesses to create sustainable systems in their businesses and positive change in their communities.
By blending evidence-based science with real-world experience, Lacy helps individuals and communities work with the
Arvin Singh, EdD, MBA, MPH, MS, FACHE, FACHDM, serves as Secretary of Health for the State of West Virginia, appointed in 2025 by Governor Patrick Morrisey to drive statewide transformation in rural health, data modernization, and workforce innovation. Previously, he served as Vice President for Strategic Planning and Communications/External Affairs at the University of Maryland Medical System, leading multi-hospital integration, public policy, and enterprise strategy initiatives. Dr. Singh holds advanced degrees from Brown University, Penn State, and George Washington University, and is a Fellow of both ACHE and the American College of Health Data Management.
Merinda Stricklen is a certified physician assistant who is passionate about improving the health of families and communities in WV. She received a Bachelor of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Seton Hill University in 2002. She also received a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion from Liberty University in 2023.
Merinda has over 23 years of pediatric experience, including extensive experience in treating childhood obesity. She worked with a pediatric weight management program called HealthyKids and was involved with conducting research and quality improvement projects around childhood obesity, particularly using produce prescriptions as an obesity intervention. She currently serves as the Director of the Health And Community Education Department at FamilyCare Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center, which serves 4 counties in WV.
Merinda is especially passionate about using Food Is Medicine as an intervention to increase access to healthy foods and nutrition education for communities, resulting in improved health outcomes. In addition to her role at FamilyCare, she serves as a Co-Chair of the WV FIM Coalition, whose goal is to transform health in WV by harnessing the power of nutrition to prevent and treat disease, reduce healthcare costs, and improve quality of life statewide.
Gina is a Registered Dietitian with over 25 years’ experience in private industry, community nutrition, and public health. She currently serves as an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program with West Virginia University Extension where her role is focused on administration and implementation of service delivery programs to under-resourced communities and populations through direct education and public health outreach. She believes strongly in the power of food and community in building local connection and a self-sustaining ecosystem of health, wealth, and social trust.
Ryan is a Senior Program Manager for Field Building & Resources. In this role, he helps implement projects and technical assistance contracts, while supporting the development of field-facing content. He holds both a bachelor’s degree (from the College of New Jersey) and a master’s degree (from Indiana University) in Gender Studies. Prior to working at the Camden Coalition, Ryan was an Associate Instructor in the department of Gender Studies at Indiana University Bloomington, where he was also a PhD candidate researching the social history of self-care.
Ryan is a Senior Program Manager for Field Building & Resources. In this role, he helps implement projects and technical assistance contracts, while supporting the development of field-facing content. He holds both a bachelor’s degree (from the College of New Jersey) and a master’s degree (from Indiana University) in Gender Studies. Prior to working at the Camden Coalition, Ryan was an Associate Instructor in the department of Gender Studies at Indiana University Bloomington, where he was also a PhD candidate researching the social history of self-care.
Holly Morgan is the Executive Director of the West Virginia Farmers Market Association, where she leads statewide efforts to strengthen local food systems by connecting farmers, markets, and institutions. Her work focuses on improving access to locally produced foods while building sustainable infrastructure that supports producers and communities.
With a background spanning agriculture, conservation, and tourism, Holly brings both strategic and operational experience to cross-sector initiatives. She has worked directly with healthcare partners, farmers, and community organizations to expand programs that integrate local food into health and wellness efforts, including produce prescription models and institutional sourcing.
Holly also serves as a District Supervisor for the Upper Ohio Conservation District and has led community development and tourism initiatives at the county level. Her work is grounded in the belief that strong local food systems are essential to improving both economic outcomes for farmers and health outcomes for communities.
Holly Morgan is the Executive Director of the West Virginia Farmers Market Association, where she leads statewide efforts to strengthen local food systems by connecting farmers, markets, and institutions. Her work focuses on improving access to locally produced foods while building sustainable infrastructure that supports producers and communities.
With a background spanning agriculture, conservation, and tourism, Holly brings both strategic and operational experience to cross-sector initiatives. She has worked directly with healthcare partners, farmers, and community organizations to expand programs that integrate local food into health and wellness efforts, including produce prescription models and institutional sourcing.
Holly also serves as a District Supervisor for the Upper Ohio Conservation District and has led community development and tourism initiatives at the county level. Her work is grounded in the belief that strong local food systems are essential to improving both economic outcomes for farmers and health outcomes for communities.
Lon is the Program Assistant for the Camden Coalition’s Field Building & Resources team, where he works on a variety of the programs of the Camden Coalition’s National Center for Complex Health and Social Needs.
Prior to joining the Camden Coalition, Lon served as a Content Marketing Specialist, where he created web copy for companies and individuals to help with search engine optimization, reputation management, sales, and other digital marketing needs. Lon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
Lon is the Program Assistant for the Camden Coalition’s Field Building & Resources team, where he works on a variety of the programs of the Camden Coalition’s National Center for Complex Health and Social Needs.
Prior to joining the Camden Coalition, Lon served as a Content Marketing Specialist, where he created web copy for companies and individuals to help with search engine optimization, reputation management, sales, and other digital marketing needs. Lon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
Kimberly R. Becher, MD, is a family physician in Clay, W.V. She grew up in West Virginia and received her medical degree from Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine in 2011, where she also completed her family medicine residency and served as one of the department’s chief residents. Passionate about health policy and reform advocacy, Becher was named one of Marshall University’s Paul Ambrose Health Policy Fellows. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in biology from Denison University in Granville, Ohio, in 2002. Between her undergraduate studies and medical school, she carried out breast and colon cancer research at the University of Cincinnati. She is currently Chief Medical Officer at Community Care of West Virginia where she has worked as a family medicine physician since 2014.
Adam Baus is a Research Associate Professor at the West Virginia University School of Public Health, Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, and Director of the West Virginia University Office of Health Services Research. Now in his 23rd year with the Office of Health Services Research, he leads applied, data-driven work focused on improving quality of care and advancing health for priority populations.
Sherri Ferrell serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the WVPCA. In this role, she oversees the implementation of strategic goals and works closely with the Board of Directors to ensure the WVPCA’s mission and vision are achieved. Ms. Ferrell advocates to the state and federal government to strengthen and preserve the healthcare safety net. She is responsible for the WVPCA’s overall operations and serves as the spokesperson for the community health system of care.
Kathryn Jantz is the founder and Principal of Hearthwise Consulting, where she advises policymakers, payers, and providers on implementing programs that support whole-person health. With almost 20 years of experience driving large-scale delivery system reform, she brings deep subject-matter expertise in Medicaid policy, Food is Medicine, maternal health equity, and social care integration. Previously, she was Consulting Director at HealthBegins, helped launch Colorado’s Medicaid Accountable Care Collaborative, the primary Colorado Medicaid delivery system, and led a rural Accountable Health Communities model. Her work is driven by a deep commitment and belief that we have the tools and resources we need to improve health and wellbeing. With elbow grease and optimism we can make real change.
Rachel Landauer is a Clinical Instructor at the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School, where she works with partners to advocate for health care policy and practice reform. Rachel focuses on the Center’s Whole Person Care, reproductive justice, and specialty care initiatives; her projects address pressing issues including health care regulatory compliance for social care interventions, information sharing and data privacy, and the diffusion of innovative care models that promote health equity.
Rachel graduated from UCLA School of Law in May 2016 as a member of the David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy, and with a Master of Public Health degree from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Prior to joining the Center, Rachel was an associate at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP. She is a licensed member of the California Bar.
Kristin Sukys has spent nearly a decade at the forefront of Food is Medicine policy. Before founding FIM Strategies, she served as a policy analyst at Harvard Law School’s CHLPI, authoring the first FIM State Plan in the country and launching the country’s first state-level FIM coalition.
Mandy Curry is a social entrepreneur and founder of Healthy Kids Inc. (HKI). After 20 years in banking, she turned her focus to health, children, and improving West Virginia’s local food system. HKI’s central kitchens in Morgantown and Huntington serve 1,500 from-scratch meals a day to children across the state. Its Pivot Meals line supports summer feeding programs and provides medically tailored meals for food-as-medicine patients, where every meal includes at least one ingredient grown or raised by a West Virginia farmer. Mandy is also co-founder of Appalachia Egg Company, West Virginia’s first egg processing facility. Her passion is creating innovative solutions that make healthy, local food accessible to children and communities in West Virginia.
Deanna Stevens was born and raised in Charleston, West Virginia, where she continues to live, work, and serve her community. Her passion for helping others is deeply rooted in her own lived experience. After battling substance use disorder for 23 years, Deanna began her recovery journey and has now maintained her recovery for nine years. She is also the proud mother of two adult children. Deanna transformed her lived experience into a passion for helping others and became a Peer Recovery Support Specialist – Substance Use Disorder (PRSS-SUD). She has worked in the recovery field for the past six years, supporting individuals and families affected by substance use disorder and helping connect them with resources needed to move toward stability and recovery.
In January 2026, Deanna joined FamilyCare, where she now serves as a Community Health Worker (CHW). In this role, she works closely with pregnant women who are actively using substances or are in recovery, as well as women and families whose lives have been impacted by a loved one’s substance use. She helps identify barriers to care, connects individuals with community resources, provides support and encouragement, and helps families navigate services related to recovery, housing, food insecurity, transportation, healthcare, and other social needs. Deanna’s work reaches beyond the walls of FamilyCare. She has developed partnerships with churches and community organizations throughout West Virginia and participates in outreach efforts designed to meet people where they are. Through these partnerships, she works to connect individuals and families with resources while bringing hope, compassion, and support to communities in need.
Her 23-year battle with addiction, nine years of recovery, professional experience in the recovery field, and current work as a Community Health Worker give Deanna a unique perspective on the challenges individuals and families face. She uses both her lived experience and professional training to advocate for others, build meaningful community partnerships, and help people recognize that their past does not have to determine their future. For Deanna, this work is more than a career—it is an opportunity to use what she has walked through to help someone else find hope, healing, recovery, and a path forward.
Deanna Stevens was born and raised in Charleston, West Virginia, where she continues to live, work, and serve her community. Her passion for helping others is deeply rooted in her own lived experience. After battling substance use disorder for 23 years, Deanna began her recovery journey and has now maintained her recovery for nine years. She is also the proud mother of two adult children. Deanna transformed her lived experience into a passion for helping others and became a Peer Recovery Support Specialist – Substance Use Disorder (PRSS-SUD). She has worked in the recovery field for the past six years, supporting individuals and families affected by substance use disorder and helping connect them with resources needed to move toward stability and recovery.
In January 2026, Deanna joined FamilyCare, where she now serves as a Community Health Worker (CHW). In this role, she works closely with pregnant women who are actively using substances or are in recovery, as well as women and families whose lives have been impacted by a loved one’s substance use. She helps identify barriers to care, connects individuals with community resources, provides support and encouragement, and helps families navigate services related to recovery, housing, food insecurity, transportation, healthcare, and other social needs. Deanna’s work reaches beyond the walls of FamilyCare. She has developed partnerships with churches and community organizations throughout West Virginia and participates in outreach efforts designed to meet people where they are. Through these partnerships, she works to connect individuals and families with resources while bringing hope, compassion, and support to communities in need.
Her 23-year battle with addiction, nine years of recovery, professional experience in the recovery field, and current work as a Community Health Worker give Deanna a unique perspective on the challenges individuals and families face. She uses both her lived experience and professional training to advocate for others, build meaningful community partnerships, and help people recognize that their past does not have to determine their future. For Deanna, this work is more than a career—it is an opportunity to use what she has walked through to help someone else find hope, healing, recovery, and a path forward.
Natalie Robinson is a West Virginia native, West Virginia University graduate, and healthcare leader committed to improving health and well-being across the state. As Whole Health & Equity Director for Wellpoint, she leads strategic partnerships, programs, and community investments focused on advancing whole-person care and equitable health outcomes.
Throughout her 15 years with Wellpoint, Natalie has worked alongside healthcare providers, community organizations, and local leaders to reduce barriers to care and address the social factors that impact health. Her commitment to service extends into the community through leadership roles with United Way Central WV, YMCA Kanawha Valley, Child Evangelism Fellowship, and the Boys & Girls Club Alliance. Her work is driven by a simple goal: helping create a healthier, more equitable future for all West Virginians.
Natalie Robinson is a West Virginia native, West Virginia University graduate, and healthcare leader committed to improving health and well-being across the state. As Whole Health & Equity Director for Wellpoint, she leads strategic partnerships, programs, and community investments focused on advancing whole-person care and equitable health outcomes.
Throughout her 15 years with Wellpoint, Natalie has worked alongside healthcare providers, community organizations, and local leaders to reduce barriers to care and address the social factors that impact health. Her commitment to service extends into the community through leadership roles with United Way Central WV, YMCA Kanawha Valley, Child Evangelism Fellowship, and the Boys & Girls Club Alliance. Her work is driven by a simple goal: helping create a healthier, more equitable future for all West Virginians.
Jeff Wiseman is the Senior Vice President for Mountain Health Trust (WV Medicaid and WVCHIP) for The Health Plan of WV, one of the State’s Medicaid Managed Care Organizations. In addition, he also assists with oversight of community events to help educate West Virginians on the benefits of utilizing the health care system. Mr. Wiseman has been with The Health Plan for over 5 years, and previously worked with the WV Department of Health and Human Resources (7 years) and the WV Offices of the Insurance Commissioner (3 years). He holds an MBA from Morehead State University. In his free time, Mr. Wiseman is an avid bowler and loves spending time with his baby niece.
Jeff Wiseman is the Senior Vice President for Mountain Health Trust (WV Medicaid and WVCHIP) for The Health Plan of WV, one of the State’s Medicaid Managed Care Organizations. In addition, he also assists with oversight of community events to help educate West Virginians on the benefits of utilizing the health care system. Mr. Wiseman has been with The Health Plan for over 5 years, and previously worked with the WV Department of Health and Human Resources (7 years) and the WV Offices of the Insurance Commissioner (3 years). He holds an MBA from Morehead State University. In his free time, Mr. Wiseman is an avid bowler and loves spending time with his baby niece.
Katie Lightner serves as the Medicaid Program Director for Highmark Health Options West Virginia (HHO WV), where her passion for improving community health drives the growth and development of the state’s newest Medicaid plan. Born and raised in southern West Virginia and a double graduate of Marshall University, Katie brings a unique blend of local insight and dedication to her role. She is committed to ensuring high-quality care for members and forging strategic partnerships that address West Virginia’s distinct healthcare needs, ultimately working towards a stronger, healthier future for her home state. This dedication extends beyond her professional life, as Katie thrives on connecting with those within her community, most often you can find her hosting a dinner party or cheering on The Herd with her husband.
Katie Lightner serves as the Medicaid Program Director for Highmark Health Options West Virginia (HHO WV), where her passion for improving community health drives the growth and development of the state’s newest Medicaid plan. Born and raised in southern West Virginia and a double graduate of Marshall University, Katie brings a unique blend of local insight and dedication to her role. She is committed to ensuring high-quality care for members and forging strategic partnerships that address West Virginia’s distinct healthcare needs, ultimately working towards a stronger, healthier future for her home state. This dedication extends beyond her professional life, as Katie thrives on connecting with those within her community, most often you can find her hosting a dinner party or cheering on The Herd with her husband.
As the Medicaid Commissioner, Christy Donohue brings decades of experience in government health programs and health plan administration to her role. Her background includes senior leadership positions with The Health Plan of West Virginia, CNSI, and Molina Healthcare, with extensive experience in Medicaid operations, contract oversight, budget and rate setting, regulatory compliance, and program integrity.
With more than 33 years of experience working with Medicaid, CHIP, and DSNP programs, Commissioner Donohue brings deep institutional knowledge and a strong understanding of how state and managed care partners work together to serve West Virginians.
Commissioner Donohue is a graduate of West Virginia State University and completed the Organizational Leadership Program through Mountain State University. She is actively engaged in her community, serving with organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters and United Way, and is a 2024 graduate of Leadership West Virginia. She resides in Boone County, West Virginia with her family.
Cordel Bostic is a West Virginia native with deep roots in the state and a strong record of advancing state and federal policy that strengthens food access and agricultural opportunity. A graduate of Davis & Elkins College with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Cordel began his career supporting community development initiatives across West Virginia as a grant writer before bringing his expertise into the policy arena. As External Affairs & Legislative Policy Coordinator for the West Virginia Food & Farm Coalition, he has helped secure key policy wins that expand nutrition access, strengthen local food purchasing, and support farm and food business viability. In addition to his civilian policy work, Cordel has served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Human Resource Analyst and, during deployment to Iraq, advised in areas of federal law and policy. His work reflects a commitment to pragmatic, results-driven policy solutions that directly benefit West Virginia communities.
Kent Leonhardt is a longtime farmer whose passion for agriculture began at a very young age and grew into a business operation while still serving in the United States Marine Corps. Early in his military career, Mr. Leonhardt bought a farm near Blacksville, West Virginia that had been abandoned for more than 40 years. It was purchased in 1982, where he still lives today. Prior to holding his current office, Kent and his wife Shirley raised sheep, cattle, and goats, and sold hay when a surplus was available.
Mr. Leonhardt graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management. He focused on a variety of courses pertinent to agriculture, natural resources, and environmental protection. While still on active duty, he earned a Master of Business Management from Central Michigan University. He is also a graduate of the Defense Language Institute – Arabic, Defense Intelligence College, and the Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
After two decades in the United States Marine Corps, Mr. Leonhardt retired from the military in 1996 as a Lieutenant Colonel. During that time, he served on multiple joint service assignments, leading America’s men and women during wartime and peace. Among the ten decorations he received are the Legion of Merit, and Combat Action Ribbon.
In 2014, Mr. Leonhardt was elected to the West Virginia State Senate in the Second Senatorial District. At the time, the district was one of the largest and most rural in the state, containing all or parts of Marshall, Wetzel, Gilmer, Marion, Monongalia, Tyler, Doddridge, Calhoun, and Ritchie counties. In 2017, he resigned from his position in the Senate after being elected West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture. He has held that position since January 2017. Mr. Leonhardt is also a member of the Monongalia County Farm Bureau.
The Leonhardts have three sons, six grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
Kent Leonhardt is a longtime farmer whose passion for agriculture began at a very young age and grew into a business operation while still serving in the United States Marine Corps. Early in his military career, Mr. Leonhardt bought a farm near Blacksville, West Virginia that had been abandoned for more than 40 years. It was purchased in 1982, where he still lives today. Prior to holding his current office, Kent and his wife Shirley raised sheep, cattle, and goats, and sold hay when a surplus was available.
Mr. Leonhardt graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management. He focused on a variety of courses pertinent to agriculture, natural resources, and environmental protection. While still on active duty, he earned a Master of Business Management from Central Michigan University. He is also a graduate of the Defense Language Institute – Arabic, Defense Intelligence College, and the Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
After two decades in the United States Marine Corps, Mr. Leonhardt retired from the military in 1996 as a Lieutenant Colonel. During that time, he served on multiple joint service assignments, leading America’s men and women during wartime and peace. Among the ten decorations he received are the Legion of Merit, and Combat Action Ribbon.
In 2014, Mr. Leonhardt was elected to the West Virginia State Senate in the Second Senatorial District. At the time, the district was one of the largest and most rural in the state, containing all or parts of Marshall, Wetzel, Gilmer, Marion, Monongalia, Tyler, Doddridge, Calhoun, and Ritchie counties. In 2017, he resigned from his position in the Senate after being elected West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture. He has held that position since January 2017. Mr. Leonhardt is also a member of the Monongalia County Farm Bureau.
The Leonhardts have three sons, six grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
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As the Medicaid Commissioner, Christy Donohue brings decades of experience in government health programs and health plan administration to her role. Her background includes senior leadership positions with The Health Plan of West Virginia, CNSI, and Molina Healthcare, with extensive experience in Medicaid operations, contract oversight, budget and rate setting, regulatory compliance, and program integrity.
With more than 33 years of experience working with Medicaid, CHIP, and DSNP programs, Commissioner Donohue brings deep institutional knowledge and a strong understanding of how state and managed care partners work together to serve West Virginians.
Commissioner Donohue is a graduate of West Virginia State University and completed the Organizational Leadership Program through Mountain State University. She is actively engaged in her community, serving with organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters and United Way, and is a 2024 graduate of Leadership West Virginia. She resides in Boone County, West Virginia with her family.
Gina is a Registered Dietitian with over 25 years’ experience in private industry, community nutrition, and public health. She currently serves as an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program with West Virginia University Extension where her role is focused on administration and implementation of service delivery programs to under-resourced communities and populations through direct education and public health outreach. She believes strongly in the power of food and community in building local connection and a self-sustaining ecosystem of health, wealth, and social trust.
Merinda Stricklen is a certified physician assistant who is passionate about improving the health of families and communities in WV. She received a Bachelor of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Seton Hill University in 2002. She also received a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion from Liberty University in 2023. She has over 23 years of pediatric experience, including extensive experience in treating childhood obesity. She worked with a pediatric weight management program called HealthyKids and was involved with conducting research and quality improvement projects around childhood obesity, particularly using produce prescriptions as an obesity intervention.
Merinda currently serves as the Director of the Health And Community Education Department at FamilyCare Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center, which serves 4 counties in WV. She is especially passionate about using Food Is Medicine as an intervention to increase access to healthy foods and nutrition education for communities, resulting in improved health outcomes. In addition to her role at FamilyCare, she serves as a Co-Chair of the WV FIM Coalition, whose goal is to transform health in WV by harnessing the power of nutrition to prevent and treat disease, reduce healthcare costs, and improve quality of life statewide.
