Board of Governors Members

James Cherry, Ph.D.
Title	Chair, Board of Governors
Dr. James M. Cherry ’96 is the Associate Director, Research Technologies; Chief, Center for Human Immunology, Autoimmunity, and Inflammation; Chief, Research Technologies Branch National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Cherry received his doctorate in Biology with a concentration in Biomedical Science from The Catholic University of America in 2008 and his Master of Science in Biotechnology from The Johns Hopkins University in 2000. In his dissertation research, Dr. Cherry studied molecular changes in ovarian tumor progression and identified several biomarkers that proved to be useful in early diagnosis of this disease that often eludes detection until it has reached a very advanced stage. He joined QIAGEN Inc. in 2008 as a research fellow in their Gene Expression Laboratory where he studied the role of miRNAs in various disease states and identified novel miRNA targets in phosphodiesters in cancer stem cells. Following his fellowship, he was promoted to a research scientist in QIAGEN’s research and development laboratory, where he proceeded to work on QIAGEN’s SYBR-Green chemistry platform, miScript, for miRNA detection, low and high-throughput miRNA molecular profiling platform. In addition, he developed the automated applications for Q-PCR gene expression miRNA/mRNA molecular profiling kit and marketed it to the biomedical research community. This new product generated $5.8 million net sales in year one for QIAGEN Inc. in 2010. He was then recruited back to the NIH/NCI in 2010 to become a Scientific Program Director/Assistant Project Officer of the Advanced Technology Program (ATP), and the Contracting Officer’s Representative, COR III, for the Operational Technical Support Contract for the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Division of Intramural Research. The ATP/CRTP is currently a $17 million program that provides state-of-the-art technologies to the NCI’s principal investigators, postdoctoral and clinical fellows at NIH/NCI, and other federally funded research institutes. In 2011, Dr. Cherry co-developed a $4 million technology development arm for the ATP/CRTP. This program was established to promote a collaborative environment with the NCI intramural community to develop innovative technologies in all areas of biomedical research including genomics, proteomics, imaging (subcellular, cellular, and whole animal), nanotechnology, genetically engineered animals, veterinary histology/pathology and bioinformatics. In 2013 his responsibilities pivoted from the ATP/CRTP to the Laboratory of Animal Science Program (LASP). During his government oversight of the LASP, he has successfully implemented the NCI’s Gnotobiotic operations, Genomic Modification Core, and the HIV reservoir laboratory and continued the development of the LASP technology development effort. In 2019 Dr. Cherry took on a leadership role and collaboratively worked with NIH senior leadership to launch SeroNet and the Clinical Translational Serology Task Force at the Federally Funded Research and Development Center, FFRDC, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. There they advanced our understanding of all aspects of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and increased national capacity for serological testing in collaboration with the FDA, NIH-Clinical Center, BARDA, and CDC. In 2021 Dr. Cherry served as the co-principal investigator for the HHS’s American Rescue Plan Act to support two separate initiatives, 1) COVID-19 vaccine booster trail for immunocompromised patients and 2) the establishment of a trans-governmental collaborative network to address critical gaps in serology development, validation, and standardization through the implementation of high-quality testing assays for public health response to SARS-CoV-2 infections. Both proposals were accepted and ~ $90M was awarded to establish these efforts through the FFRDC that can meet the needs of public health. Dr. Cherry also served as the scientific advisor for all high school, undergraduate, graduate, and capstone students at the NCI at Frederick campus/FFRDC. In 2021 Dr. Cherry was selected to be chief of NIAID’s Research Technologies Branch. There he established an interdisciplinary resource that provided investigators access to leading-edge technologies and specialized expertise that are fully integrated to study complex biological questions. The first initiative launched in year one was the Integrated Data Sciences Section, IDSS. This section focuses on providing scientific consultation, and training on computational and data scientific support up through manuscript preparation. In 2022 Dr. Cherry was named chief for the Center for Human Immunology, Autoimmunity and Inflammation, where he worked in full collaboration with the newly established scientific advisory board to increase the visibility and approve 16 projects during FY22 and 22 projects in FY23. During FY23, Dr Cherry was able to launch the Metabolomics/Lipodomics Discovery Center in Rocky Mountain Laboratories under the RTB. In less than a year the laboratory completed 40+ plus projects for intramural investigators with 30+ in the queue for consultation. Dr. Cherry has been appointed to several scientific advisory boards representing NIAID for various universities in the state of Maryland and West Virginia and currently serves on the Shepherd University, Board of Governors as their Vice Chair. Dr. Cherry is an associate professor at Hood College and an adjunct professor at Mount St. Mary’s University where he teaches Biomedical Ethics, Introduction to Cancer Biology, Cell Biology, Protein Biochemistry, and Advanced Technologies Genomics and Proteomics applications.

James Cherry, Ph.D.

Title

Chair, Board of Governors

Dr. James M. Cherry ’96 is the Associate Director, Research Technologies; Chief, Center for Human Immunology, Autoimmunity, and Inflammation; Chief, Research Technologies Branch National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Dr. Cherry received his doctorate in Biology with a concentration in Biomedical Science from The Catholic University of America in 2008 and his Master of Science in Biotechnology from The Johns Hopkins University in 2000. In his dissertation research, Dr. Cherry studied molecular changes in ovarian tumor progression and identified several biomarkers that proved to be useful in early diagnosis of this disease that often eludes detection until it has reached a very advanced stage.

He joined QIAGEN Inc. in 2008 as a research fellow in their Gene Expression Laboratory where he studied the role of miRNAs in various disease states and identified novel miRNA targets in phosphodiesters in cancer stem cells. Following his fellowship, he was promoted to a research scientist in QIAGEN’s research and development laboratory, where he proceeded to work on QIAGEN’s SYBR-Green chemistry platform, miScript, for miRNA detection, low and high-throughput miRNA molecular profiling platform. In addition, he developed the automated applications for Q-PCR gene expression miRNA/mRNA molecular profiling kit and marketed it to the biomedical research community. This new product generated $5.8 million net sales in year one for QIAGEN Inc. in 2010.

He was then recruited back to the NIH/NCI in 2010 to become a Scientific Program Director/Assistant Project Officer of the Advanced Technology Program (ATP), and the Contracting Officer’s Representative, COR III, for the Operational Technical Support Contract for the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Division of Intramural Research. The ATP/CRTP is currently a $17 million program that provides state-of-the-art technologies to the NCI’s principal investigators, postdoctoral and clinical fellows at NIH/NCI, and other federally funded research institutes. In 2011, Dr. Cherry co-developed a $4 million technology development arm for the ATP/CRTP. This program was established to promote a collaborative environment with the NCI intramural community to develop innovative technologies in all areas of biomedical research including genomics, proteomics, imaging (subcellular, cellular, and whole animal), nanotechnology, genetically engineered animals, veterinary histology/pathology and bioinformatics. In 2013 his responsibilities pivoted from the ATP/CRTP to the Laboratory of Animal Science Program (LASP). During his government oversight of the LASP, he has successfully implemented the NCI’s Gnotobiotic operations, Genomic Modification Core, and the HIV reservoir laboratory and continued the development of the LASP technology development effort.

In 2019 Dr. Cherry took on a leadership role and collaboratively worked with NIH senior leadership to launch SeroNet and the Clinical Translational Serology Task Force at the Federally Funded Research and Development Center, FFRDC, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. There they advanced our understanding of all aspects of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and increased national capacity for serological testing in collaboration with the FDA, NIH-Clinical Center, BARDA, and CDC. In 2021 Dr. Cherry served as the co-principal investigator for the HHS’s American Rescue Plan Act to support two separate initiatives, 1) COVID-19 vaccine booster trail for immunocompromised patients and 2) the establishment of a trans-governmental collaborative network to address critical gaps in serology development, validation, and standardization through the implementation of high-quality testing assays for public health response to SARS-CoV-2 infections. Both proposals were accepted and ~ $90M was awarded to establish these efforts through the FFRDC that can meet the needs of public health. Dr. Cherry also served as the scientific advisor for all high school, undergraduate, graduate, and capstone students at the NCI at Frederick campus/FFRDC.

In 2021 Dr. Cherry was selected to be chief of NIAID’s Research Technologies Branch. There he established an interdisciplinary resource that provided investigators access to leading-edge technologies and specialized expertise that are fully integrated to study complex biological questions. The first initiative launched in year one was the Integrated Data Sciences Section, IDSS. This section focuses on providing scientific consultation, and training on computational and data scientific support up through manuscript preparation.

In 2022 Dr. Cherry was named chief for the Center for Human Immunology, Autoimmunity and Inflammation, where he worked in full collaboration with the newly established scientific advisory board to increase the visibility and approve 16 projects during FY22 and 22 projects in FY23. During FY23, Dr Cherry was able to launch the Metabolomics/Lipodomics Discovery Center in Rocky Mountain Laboratories under the RTB. In less than a year the laboratory completed 40+ plus projects for intramural investigators with 30+ in the queue for consultation.

Dr. Cherry has been appointed to several scientific advisory boards representing NIAID for various universities in the state of Maryland and West Virginia and currently serves on the Shepherd University, Board of Governors as their Vice Chair. Dr. Cherry is an associate professor at Hood College and an adjunct professor at Mount St. Mary’s University where he teaches Biomedical Ethics, Introduction to Cancer Biology, Cell Biology, Protein Biochemistry, and Advanced Technologies Genomics and Proteomics applications.

Austin J. Slater, Jr.
Title	Vice-Chair, Board of Governors
Austin J. Slater, Jr. ’76 has 40 years of experience as an executive in the energy industry, retiring in March 2020 following 18 years as President and CEO of the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative. He formerly served as VP for Education and Training at National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) in Arlington, Virginia, and as General Manager of Tideland EMC in eastern North Carolina. Slater has served as a Board Member and Chairman of the Board of ACES Power Marketing and was a founding Member and Secretary of the National Renewables Cooperative Organization. Slater is presently Board Vice Chairman and Lead Independent Director of a publicly traded $6-billion community bank that operates in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia; Board Member and Treasurer for the Shepherd University Foundation; an instructor in NRECA’s Director Education curriculum; and an active member of the Shepherdstown Rotary Club. Slater has served as both Director and Chairman of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, the Southern Maryland Workforce Investment Board, and the College of Southern Maryland Boards. He also served on the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Board (Baltimore Branch) and as director and Vice Chairman on the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center board. Slater was recognized by the Maryland Chamber of Commerce as a ‘Business Hall of Fame’ recipient in 2013, and as the 2014 ‘CEO of the Year’ by the College of Southern Maryland Leading Edge Awards. Slater graduated from Shepherd College in 1976 earning a BS in business and economics. He graduated from George Washington University in 1994 with an MBA in finance. He and his wife Carmen recently restored a circa 1789 home in the historic district of Shepherdstown, West Virginia where they now reside.

Austin J. Slater, Jr.

Title

Vice-Chair, Board of Governors

Austin J. Slater, Jr. ’76 has 40 years of experience as an executive in the energy industry, retiring in March 2020 following 18 years as President and CEO of the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative. He formerly served as VP for Education and Training at National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) in Arlington, Virginia, and as General Manager of Tideland EMC in eastern North Carolina. Slater has served as a Board Member and Chairman of the Board of ACES Power Marketing and was a founding Member and Secretary of the National Renewables Cooperative Organization.

Slater is presently Board Vice Chairman and Lead Independent Director of a publicly traded $6-billion community bank that operates in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia; Board Member and Treasurer for the Shepherd University Foundation; an instructor in NRECA’s Director Education curriculum; and an active member of the Shepherdstown Rotary Club.

Slater has served as both Director and Chairman of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, the Southern Maryland Workforce Investment Board, and the College of Southern Maryland Boards. He also served on the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Board (Baltimore Branch) and as director and Vice Chairman on the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center board. Slater was recognized by the Maryland Chamber of Commerce as a ‘Business Hall of Fame’ recipient in 2013, and as the 2014 ‘CEO of the Year’ by the College of Southern Maryland Leading Edge Awards.

Slater graduated from Shepherd College in 1976 earning a BS in business and economics. He graduated from George Washington University in 1994 with an MBA in finance. He and his wife Carmen recently restored a circa 1789 home in the historic district of Shepherdstown, West Virginia where they now reside.

David Avella
Title	Member, Board of Governors
David Avella ’92, a native of Martinsburg, is the CEO and chair of GOPAC, an Arlington, Virginia-based national organization formed in 1979 to develop and cultivate rising young leaders in the Republican Party to run for state and local offices. GOPAC’s programs include Conservative Congress Project, Emerging Leaders, and national and state leadership program. Avella is a frequent guest on national television and radio, appearing on Fox News, CBS, MSNBC, CNN, PBS, and HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, and he delivered an address at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Avella earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science in 1992. He and his wife, Claire, live in the Washington, D.C., metro area with their two daughters.

David Avella

Title

Member, Board of Governors

David Avella ’92, a native of Martinsburg, is the CEO and chair of GOPAC, an Arlington, Virginia-based national organization formed in 1979 to develop and cultivate rising young leaders in the Republican Party to run for state and local offices. GOPAC’s programs include Conservative Congress Project, Emerging Leaders, and national and state leadership program.

Avella is a frequent guest on national television and radio, appearing on Fox News, CBS, MSNBC, CNN, PBS, and HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, and he delivered an address at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Avella earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science in 1992. He and his wife, Claire, live in the Washington, D.C., metro area with their two daughters.

Gat Caperton
Title	Member, Board of Governors
Gat Caperton is the founder and CEO of Gat Creek, a domestic manufacturer of solid-wood furniture that employees over 160 artisans in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and a Bachelors of Arts in Economics from Davidson College. Caperton was a member of Shepherd’s Board of Governors from 2006 to 2014 and served as board chair from 2011 to 2014. He also served as a member of the 2015 Presidential Search Committee.

Gat Caperton

Title

Member, Board of Governors

Gat Caperton is the founder and CEO of Gat Creek, a domestic manufacturer of solid-wood furniture that employees over 160 artisans in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and a Bachelors of Arts in Economics from Davidson College.

Caperton was a member of Shepherd’s Board of Governors from 2006 to 2014 and served as board chair from 2011 to 2014. He also served as a member of the 2015 Presidential Search Committee.

Henry Kayes, Jr.
Title	Member, Board of Governors
Henry Kayes is currently chief operating officer and regional president for United Bank Incorporated and is responsible for the bank’s entire West Virginia market. United is West Virginia’s largest publicly traded company and trades as [Nasdaq: UBSI]. Kayes joined United in 2012 at the time of the Centra Bank/United Bank merger. He was a founder of Centra Bank Berkeley County in 2001 and served as its president from 2001-2012. Prior to that he served as senior vice president and market president of BB&T Bank for the Eastern Panhandle region of West Virginia. Kayes is a lifelong career banker, starting in the training program of First Union National Bank of North Carolina in 1986. He is a graduate of Elon University (1990). Kayes is a native of Huntington, West Virginia. He and his wife Amy have two daughters, Meredith and Caroline. His wife and both daughters are graduates of Shepherd University. His community leadership activities include: current board member for WVU Medicine-University Healthcare and Farmer and Mechanics Insurance Companies; past chairman and board member, Martinsburg-Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce; former board member, Eastern Panhandle United Way and the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation.

Henry Kayes, Jr.

Title

Member, Board of Governors

Henry Kayes is currently chief operating officer and regional president for United Bank Incorporated and is responsible for the bank’s entire West Virginia market. United is West Virginia’s largest publicly traded company and trades as [Nasdaq: UBSI]. Kayes joined United in 2012 at the time of the Centra Bank/United Bank merger. He was a founder of Centra Bank Berkeley County in 2001 and served as its president from 2001-2012.

Prior to that he served as senior vice president and market president of BB&T Bank for the Eastern Panhandle region of West Virginia.

Kayes is a lifelong career banker, starting in the training program of First Union National Bank of North Carolina in 1986. He is a graduate of Elon University (1990).

Kayes is a native of Huntington, West Virginia. He and his wife Amy have two daughters, Meredith and Caroline. His wife and both daughters are graduates of Shepherd University.

His community leadership activities include: current board member for WVU Medicine-University Healthcare and Farmer and Mechanics Insurance Companies; past chairman and board member, Martinsburg-Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce; former board member, Eastern Panhandle United Way and the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation.

Jonathan (Jay) Mason
Title	Member, Board of Governors
Jay Mason ’08 is employed with Montgomery County Public Schools as a 5th Grade teacher. Mr. Mason graduated from Governor Thomas Johnson High School in 1991 and completed his undergraduate studies at Shepherd University in 2008, where he was also a 3-year starter as a Quarterback and Captain of the football team from 1992-1994. In 2011, he completed his graduate work at Frostburg University with a Master of Arts in Teaching. Jay is a 2nd year doctoral student at Hood College working on Doctorate of Organizational Leadership. Since completing his degree, he has been dedicated to serving the youth in Frederick County through various avenues. His efforts supporting students of FCPS as a former President of Eliminating Achievement Gaps, Inc. (EAG) earned him a position on Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner’s Education Leadership Team, as well as the Superintendent’s Advisory Council. His work has included assisting in development of the new FCPS Strategic Plan, which is a long-term strategic plan to move Frederick County into the future and maintain our position as a high performing school system. Jay was elected to the Frederick County Board of Education in November 2018 for a four-year term: December 2018-2022. The Board elected Mr. Mason as its President for 2020-2021 term and previously served as the Board Vice President for the 2019-2020 term.He served two terms as the President of the Board for Habitat for Humanity in the fiscal years of July 2019 – June 2020 and July 2020 – June 2021. He has served as President for the Rotary Club of Frederick. Currently, he is an associate broker at Frederick Land & Home and has been a licensed Realtor since 2004. He has served on the County Executive’s Livable Frederick Steering Committee, was a county appointed member of the Affordable Housing Council and previously served on the Boys and Girls Club Board. As a member of Frederick County Association of Realtors, he chaired the Young Professionals Network in 2017-2018. He graduated from the Maryland Association of Realtors Leadership Academy in the spring of 2016 and is a member of the second graduating class of the Frederick County Minority Business Leaders Program in 2018. Mr. Mason spent numerous years coaching football at Frederick and Montgomery County high schools and Frederick youth organizations. He has assisted Heartly House in their fundraising efforts for several years in the annual Walk a Mile in Their Shoes and Affair of the Heart events. His wife, Beth, a longtime Frederick resident, and he are the proud parents of three children, one a college graduate and two attending Frederick County schools.

Jonathan (Jay) Mason

Title

Member, Board of Governors

Jay Mason ’08 is employed with Montgomery County Public Schools as a 5th Grade teacher. Mr. Mason graduated from Governor Thomas Johnson High School in 1991 and completed his undergraduate studies at Shepherd University in 2008, where he was also a 3-year starter as a Quarterback and Captain of the football team from 1992-1994. In 2011, he completed his graduate work at Frostburg University with a Master of Arts in Teaching. Jay is a 2nd year doctoral student at Hood College working on Doctorate of Organizational Leadership.

Since completing his degree, he has been dedicated to serving the youth in Frederick County through various avenues. His efforts supporting students of FCPS as a former President of Eliminating Achievement Gaps, Inc. (EAG) earned him a position on Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner’s Education Leadership Team, as well as the Superintendent’s Advisory Council. His work has included assisting in development of the new FCPS Strategic Plan, which is a long-term strategic plan to move Frederick County into the future and maintain our position as a high performing school system.

Jay was elected to the Frederick County Board of Education in November 2018 for a four-year term: December 2018-2022. The Board elected Mr. Mason as its President for 2020-2021 term and previously served as the Board Vice President for the 2019-2020 term.He served two terms as the President of the Board for Habitat for Humanity in the fiscal years of July 2019 – June 2020 and July 2020 – June 2021. He has served as President for the Rotary Club of Frederick. Currently, he is an associate broker at Frederick Land & Home and has been a licensed Realtor since 2004. He has served on the County Executive’s Livable Frederick Steering Committee, was a county appointed member of the Affordable Housing Council and previously served on the Boys and Girls Club Board. As a member of Frederick County Association of Realtors, he chaired the Young Professionals Network in 2017-2018. He graduated from the Maryland Association of Realtors Leadership Academy in the spring of 2016 and is a member of the second graduating class of the Frederick County Minority Business Leaders Program in 2018.

Mr. Mason spent numerous years coaching football at Frederick and Montgomery County high schools and Frederick youth organizations. He has assisted Heartly House in their fundraising efforts for several years in the annual Walk a Mile in Their Shoes and Affair of the Heart events.

His wife, Beth, a longtime Frederick resident, and he are the proud parents of three children, one a college graduate and two attending Frederick County schools.

Susan Mentzer-Blair
Title	Secretary, Board of Governors
Susan Mentzer-Blair ‘72 earned a teaching degree from Shepherd University and a school counseling degree from Marshall University. She taught in Kanawha County, West Virginia, and continued her career in education as a school counselor in Jefferson County. She completed her 42 years in education in Frederick County, Maryland, where she earned her National Board Certification and earned certification as a Licensed Public Counselor. She was honored by her colleagues as Maryland High School Counselor of the Year in 2000. Sue retired in 2014 and retains strong opinions on the college selection process. She now spends her time serving on the Development Committee of Frederick Health Hospital, as a committee member of the Brunswick Main Street and a volunteer with the Brunswick Heritage Museum. Mentzer-Blair is a member of the Board of the Shepherd University Foundation (emeritus), an active member of WISH (Women Investing in Shepherd) and both the Alumni and Gridiron Associations. She was honored to be named Shepherd University 2020 Alumna of the Year.

Susan Mentzer-Blair

Title

Secretary, Board of Governors

Susan Mentzer-Blair ‘72 earned a teaching degree from Shepherd University and a school counseling degree from Marshall University. She taught in Kanawha County, West Virginia, and continued her career in education as a school counselor in Jefferson County. She completed her 42 years in education in Frederick County, Maryland, where she earned her National Board Certification and earned certification as a Licensed Public Counselor. She was honored by her colleagues as Maryland High School Counselor of the Year in 2000.

Sue retired in 2014 and retains strong opinions on the college selection process. She now spends her time serving on the Development Committee of Frederick Health Hospital, as a committee member of the Brunswick Main Street and a volunteer with the Brunswick Heritage Museum.

Mentzer-Blair is a member of the Board of the Shepherd University Foundation (emeritus), an active member of WISH (Women Investing in Shepherd) and both the Alumni and Gridiron Associations. She was honored to be named Shepherd University 2020 Alumna of the Year.

Guillermina (Mina) Garcia Moore
Title	Member, Board of Governors
Guillermina (Mina) Garcia Moore brings over fifteen years of experience working in public affairs and advising top leaders in the public and private sectors on issue management and stakeholder engagement. Throughout her career, Moore has built policy expertise in a wide range of international and domestic issues across various sectors including education and workforce development, energy, entertainment, international affairs, philanthropy, sports, technology, and telecommunications. Moore spent seven years working in various roles in the U.S. House of Representatives, including two years serving as senior policy advisor to the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee. Most recently, she served as managing director at FGS Global in Washington, D.C. where she was promoted several times for successfully advising and helping clients navigate complex situations to further their interests and achieve their goals. From 2021 to 2023, Moore served as an advisory council member for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington, D.C., an organization dedicated to developing the next generation of Latino leaders through various educational experiences and professional opportunities. She currently serves on the St. Joseph Advisory Board providing support for the school administration’s mandate to create St. Joseph Catholic High School, which is scheduled to open its doors in 2025. Moore earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Bachelor of Arts in development studies with a focus on Latin America from the University of California at Berkeley. She received a Master of Arts in strategic security studies with a focus on international security from the College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University in Washington, D.C. Moore has a passion for student life and student support services, having worked as a resident assistant (RA) at Berkeley and the University of California (UC) Washington Center, supporting UC students during their semesters in Washington, D.C. Moore is a native Spanish speaker. She lives in Harpers Ferry with her family and can be found exploring the Wild and Wonderful West Virginia on weekends.

Guillermina (Mina) Garcia Moore

Title

Member, Board of Governors

Guillermina (Mina) Garcia Moore brings over fifteen years of experience working in public affairs and advising top leaders in the public and private sectors on issue management and stakeholder engagement. Throughout her career, Moore has built policy expertise in a wide range of international and domestic issues across various sectors including education and workforce development, energy, entertainment, international affairs, philanthropy, sports, technology, and telecommunications.

Moore spent seven years working in various roles in the U.S. House of Representatives, including two years serving as senior policy advisor to the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee. Most recently, she served as managing director at FGS Global in Washington, D.C. where she was promoted several times for successfully advising and helping clients navigate complex situations to further their interests and achieve their goals.

From 2021 to 2023, Moore served as an advisory council member for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington, D.C., an organization dedicated to developing the next generation of Latino leaders through various educational experiences and professional opportunities.

She currently serves on the St. Joseph Advisory Board providing support for the school administration’s mandate to create St. Joseph Catholic High School, which is scheduled to open its doors in 2025.

Moore earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Bachelor of Arts in development studies with a focus on Latin America from the University of California at Berkeley. She received a Master of Arts in strategic security studies with a focus on international security from the College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University in Washington, D.C.

Moore has a passion for student life and student support services, having worked as a resident assistant (RA) at Berkeley and the University of California (UC) Washington Center, supporting UC students during their semesters in Washington, D.C.

Moore is a native Spanish speaker. She lives in Harpers Ferry with her family and can be found exploring the Wild and Wonderful West Virginia on weekends.

Karl Wolf
Title	Member, Board of Governors
Karl Wolf ’70 graduated from Shepherd College with a bachelor of science in accounting, with additional fields in marketing and economics. Wolf earned his M.B.A. from George Washington University in International Business two years later. He then began coursework in higher education administration at WVU with fields in guidance/counseling and health care administration. He is a certified health care administrator. Upon graduation from Shepherd, he was named Director of Admissions and served in that role for thirty-four years taking Shepherd’s enrollment from 1,800 students to 4,800 students. In 2004 he became Director of Athletics where he oversaw the addition of women’s lacrosse and renovations to the Butcher Center arena, the installation of field turf in Ram Stadium, the new fan seating and press boxes for baseball and softball, and the construction of the West Campus tennis courts. In 2011, he was named Assistant to the VPAA for Compliance and Athletic Initiatives. He retired in 2015, but has continued to teach one course each semester for the Recreation and Sports Department. He has served on numerous committees at Shepherd. Shepherd honored Wolf as its 2003 Outstanding Alumnus and with the 2019 President’s Award. Since 2013, Wolf has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Shepherd University Foundation and serves as Secretary of the Executive Board and chair of the nominating committee. He has been a member of the Potomac and Chesapeake Association for College Admissions Counseling and the National Association for College Admissions Counseling since 1970 serving as a NACAC national delegate and committee member. And, he has served on many PCACAC committees and served as President of the association in its three-year cycle. PCACAC honored him with the Richard Apperson Award, its highest award for service to students and the profession. A charter member of the Kiwanis Club of Shepherdstown, he has served the community service organization as president for three terms. On campus, Wolf has advised several campus organizations and has been the advisor for Shepherd’s Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity since 1976. He has facilitated and presented at numerous regional and national conferences. The International Fraternity honored him with its Order of Merit, the highest award for service at the campus/chapter level making him a permanent voting delegate at national conventions.

Karl Wolf

Title

Member, Board of Governors

Karl Wolf ’70 graduated from Shepherd College with a bachelor of science in accounting, with additional fields in marketing and economics. Wolf earned his M.B.A. from George Washington University in International Business two years later. He then began coursework in higher education administration at WVU with fields in guidance/counseling and health care administration. He is a certified health care administrator.

Upon graduation from Shepherd, he was named Director of Admissions and served in that role for thirty-four years taking Shepherd’s enrollment from 1,800 students to 4,800 students. In 2004 he became Director of Athletics where he oversaw the addition of women’s lacrosse and renovations to the Butcher Center arena, the installation of field turf in Ram Stadium, the new fan seating and press boxes for baseball and softball, and the construction of the West Campus tennis courts. In 2011, he was named Assistant to the VPAA for Compliance and Athletic Initiatives. He retired in 2015, but has continued to teach one course each semester for the Recreation and Sports Department. He has served on numerous committees at Shepherd. Shepherd honored Wolf as its 2003 Outstanding Alumnus and with the 2019 President’s Award.

Since 2013, Wolf has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Shepherd University Foundation and serves as Secretary of the Executive Board and chair of the nominating committee.

He has been a member of the Potomac and Chesapeake Association for College Admissions Counseling and the National Association for College Admissions Counseling since 1970 serving as a NACAC national delegate and committee member. And, he has served on many PCACAC committees and served as President of the association in its three-year cycle. PCACAC honored him with the Richard Apperson Award, its highest award for service to students and the profession.

A charter member of the Kiwanis Club of Shepherdstown, he has served the community service organization as president for three terms.

On campus, Wolf has advised several campus organizations and has been the advisor for Shepherd’s Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity since 1976. He has facilitated and presented at numerous regional and national conferences. The International Fraternity honored him with its Order of Merit, the highest award for service at the campus/chapter level making him a permanent voting delegate at national conventions.

Kevin Murphy
Title	Classified Staff Representative, Board of Governors
As a licensed Journeyman Electrician and Journeyman Plumber, Kevin Murphy is currently employed by Shepherd University as a member of the Facilities Management department and serves as the representative of the Classified Employees Council to the Board of Governors. In addition to his licensures, Kevin earned a B.S. in Sociology from Kansas State University in 2010, graduating Magna Cum Laude. He is currently working on his Master’s in Appalachian Studies at Shepherd, hoping to graduate in spring 2024, and start a doctoral program the following Fall. Formerly, Kevin had a decade-long career in law enforcement serving as a Communications Safety Officer and an Evidence Technician with the Montana State University Police Department as well as a contracted security team member with CMS in Bozeman, MT and as a Communications Safety Officer and Student Security member with the Kansas State University Police Department. Kevin is the owner/operator of Mountain Man Handyman Service and participates in numerous philanthropic activities including his work with Make-a-Wish, Relay for Life, and Habitat for Humanity. Most recently, he was given a Student Leadership Award for his work with Shepherd’s Alternate Spring Break in 2023. He is the husband of Dr. Sytil Murphy, Associate Professor of Physics at Shepherd, and is the proud father of Keaghan, Skye, and Sean.

Kevin Murphy

Title

Classified Staff Representative, Board of Governors

As a licensed Journeyman Electrician and Journeyman Plumber, Kevin Murphy is currently employed by Shepherd University as a member of the Facilities Management department and serves as the representative of the Classified Employees Council to the Board of Governors. In addition to his licensures, Kevin earned a B.S. in Sociology from Kansas State University in 2010, graduating Magna Cum Laude. He is currently working on his Master’s in Appalachian Studies at Shepherd, hoping to graduate in spring 2024, and start a doctoral program the following Fall. Formerly, Kevin had a decade-long career in law enforcement serving as a Communications Safety Officer and an Evidence Technician with the Montana State University Police Department as well as a contracted security team member with CMS in Bozeman, MT and as a Communications Safety Officer and Student Security member with the Kansas State University Police Department. Kevin is the owner/operator of Mountain Man Handyman Service and participates in numerous philanthropic activities including his work with Make-a-Wish, Relay for Life, and Habitat for Humanity. Most recently, he was given a Student Leadership Award for his work with Shepherd’s Alternate Spring Break in 2023. He is the husband of Dr. Sytil Murphy, Associate Professor of Physics at Shepherd, and is the proud father of Keaghan, Skye, and Sean.

Stephanie Slocum-Schaffer, Ph.D.
Title	Faculty Representative, Board of Governors
Dr. Stephanie A. Slocum-Schaffer is Professor of Political Science and Senior Fellow at the Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications at Shepherd University, where she teaches a variety of courses in American politics, women in politics, research methods, and public policy. Dr. Slocum-Schaffer earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from The American University and received a B.A., Magna Cum Laude, in International Affairs and Spanish from Bucknell University. In 2003, she published a book, America in the Seventies: A Lesson In Limits, with Syracuse University Press. She also has published several articles and has made numerous presentations at conferences. Her current research focus is shared between two major areas of study: the impact of perceptions of incivility on American civic engagement, as well as the different pedagogical techniques, approaches, and structures that enhance student learning at the undergraduate level. Dr. Slocum-Schaffer was named a West Virginia Professor of the Year Finalist in 2023.

Stephanie Slocum-Schaffer, Ph.D.

Title

Faculty Representative, Board of Governors

Dr. Stephanie A. Slocum-Schaffer is Professor of Political Science and Senior Fellow at the Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications at Shepherd University, where she teaches a variety of courses in American politics, women in politics, research methods, and public policy. Dr. Slocum-Schaffer earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from The American University and received a B.A., Magna Cum Laude, in International Affairs and Spanish from Bucknell University. In 2003, she published a book, America in the Seventies: A Lesson In Limits, with Syracuse University Press. She also has published several articles and has made numerous presentations at conferences. Her current research focus is shared between two major areas of study: the impact of perceptions of incivility on American civic engagement, as well as the different pedagogical techniques, approaches, and structures that enhance student learning at the undergraduate level. Dr. Slocum-Schaffer was named a West Virginia Professor of the Year Finalist in 2023.

Paul Teter
Title	Student Representative, Board of Governors
Paul Teter is a senior at Shepherd University and serves as the president of the Student Government Association. He is majoring in business administration with a concentration in marketing and double minoring in political communication and communication and new media. He is from Romney, West Virginia, where he graduated from Hampshire High School in 2021. Paul is honored to serve on the Board of Governors and hopes to use his time to improve student life and well-being on campus. Paul is a brother of Delta Sigma Pi, a coed professional business fraternity. He serves as the president of its chapter on campus and serves on its national Collegiate Advisory Committee. In spring 2023, he was awarded Greek Man of the Year for his service and tenure in Greek Life. He works for the Program Board and as a student ambassador on campus, and is a member of TRIO and Order of Omega. He has previously served on the Student Life Council and the Strategic Planning Committee.

Paul Teter

Title

Student Representative, Board of Governors

Paul Teter is a senior at Shepherd University and serves as the president of the Student Government Association. He is majoring in business administration with a concentration in marketing and double minoring in political communication and communication and new media. He is from Romney, West Virginia, where he graduated from Hampshire High School in 2021. Paul is honored to serve on the Board of Governors and hopes to use his time to improve student life and well-being on campus.

Paul is a brother of Delta Sigma Pi, a coed professional business fraternity. He serves as the president of its chapter on campus and serves on its national Collegiate Advisory Committee. In spring 2023, he was awarded Greek Man of the Year for his service and tenure in Greek Life. He works for the Program Board and as a student ambassador on campus, and is a member of TRIO and Order of Omega. He has previously served on the Student Life Council and the Strategic Planning Committee.

Future Students

Current Students

Alumni & Friends

Faculty & Staff

Visitors

Board of Governors Members

James Cherry, Ph.D.

Austin J. Slater, Jr.

David Avella

Gat Caperton

Henry Kayes, Jr.

Jonathan (Jay) Mason

Susan Mentzer-Blair

Guillermina (Mina) Garcia Moore

Karl Wolf

Kevin Murphy

Stephanie Slocum-Schaffer, Ph.D.

Paul Teter