CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Today, Governor Patrick Morrisey announced several key appointments to the West Virginia Workforce Development Board, the Shepherd University Board of Governors, the West Virginia State University Board of Governors, and the PEIA Finance Board. These individuals bring extensive professional experience, leadership, and a strong commitment to strengthening West Virginia’s future.
Workforce Development Board – Steven Cutright
A native of Clarksburg, Steven Cutright spent 28 years in the engineering and construction industry, specializing in minerals processing, material handling systems, and power generation facilities. After retiring from private industry in 2002 at the age of 44, he pursued numerous entrepreneurial ventures. Since 1995, he has owned and operated twelve businesses and has provided consulting services across industries including retail, manufacturing, insurance, construction, mining, finance, legal, and real estate.
In 2010, Cutright joined the faculty of West Virginia University’s College of Business and Economics as a Visiting Lecturing Professor, later becoming the Founding Director of the BrickStreet Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. After leaving WVU in 2019, he returned his focus to business operations and consulting.
Cutright holds two U.S. patents and recently completed a two-year term on the West Virginia Economic Development Authority Board. He currently serves as Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer for Infinity Electric & Service Co. of Morgantown.
Cutright earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Fairmont State University, a Master of Business Administration from West Virginia University, and completed graduate studies in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination at WVU.
Workforce Development Board – Andy Colandrea
Andy Colandrea is an entrepreneur from Ranson, West Virginia, who grew up working in his family’s restaurant, Brother’s Pizza. At age 20, he launched his first business, beginning a long career of successful ventures. In 2004, he opened Brother’s Pizza 2, later expanding into additional enterprises including Island Tanning and Nails, Potomac Liquors, Danaico Delivery, Inferno Construction, and most recently, Inferno Brewery.
A first-generation American, Colandrea’s family roots trace back to Naples, Italy. Italian was the only language spoken in his household growing up, and he is now fluent in three languages.
Workforce Development Board – Garrett Ballengee
Garrett Ballengee joined the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy in 2015 as its first employee and now serves as its President & CEO. He is a recipient of the 2022 Buckley Award, a member of the American Enterprise Institute’s Leadership Network, and a George Washington Statesmanship Fellow through the Intercollegiate Studies Institute.
Under his leadership, the Cardinal Institute has received national recognition, including top honors at the Atlas Network’s “Smart Bets 2020” competition and finalist distinctions for both the Templeton Freedom Award (2021) and the Bob Williams Award for Outstanding Policy Achievement. He played a key role in the passage of the Hope Scholarship ESA program and the largest tax cut in West Virginia history, which earned the organization the 2023 Bob Williams Award for Biggest Home State Win.
A native of Parkersburg, Ballengee graduated summa cum laude from West Virginia University in 2009 with a B.S. in Finance and was awarded the WVU Foundation’s “Outstanding Senior” honor. He earned his M.A. in Financial Economics from Ohio University in 2011.
Workforce Development Board – Charles E. Staggs
A lifelong resident of the Keyser area, Charles Staggs graduated from Frankfort High School and later earned a bachelor’s degree in information technology in 2006. He worked for 24 years at the Luke Paper Mill, earning a reputation for his dedication and strong work ethic.
In 2016, while still employed at the mill, Staggs began operating his father’s backhoe business part-time. When the mill closed in 2019, he transitioned to the business full-time, carrying on his family’s legacy. His dedication to Mineral County led him into public service, and he was elected to the Mineral County Commission in 2022.
Staggs’s leadership has been recognized statewide. He received the County Commissioners’ Association of West Virginia (CCAWV) Rising Star Award in June 2024 and was elected Vice President of the Association in June 2025.
Workforce Development Board – Laura Seybold
Laura Seybold is the Senior Vice President of Culture and Talent Development at Hope Utilities, where she is responsible for leadership and career development. She has spent the last 20 years in human capital roles, working for start-ups to Fortune 200 companies.
In 2019, she founded Shine Consulting, an executive coaching and consulting firm focused on enabling individuals, teams, and organizations to reach their greatest potential. She is certified in Insights Discovery, CliftonStrengths, Situational Leadership, Every Conversation Matters (ECM), Targeted Selection, CCL Benchmark 360 Assessments, and is an Associate Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation. She is the former host of the Leadership ReDiscovered podcast, where she interviewed different leaders from different industries and walks of life to share lessons learned along their leadership journey. Currently, Seybold serves on the Advisory Council for the John Chambers College of Business at West Virginia University and is a Strategic Partner for the nonprofit organization, Libera.
She obtained a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Wright State University and an Executive MBA from West Virginia University.
Workforce Development Board – Nick Lambruno
A Compact Commissioner for the Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission in West Virginia and Command Sergeant Major (Ret.), Nick Lambruno has spent the past 23 years on Active Duty, retiring on June 1, 2023. Throughout his distinguished military career, he has served in many roles, including Instructor/Writer, Section Chief, Master Gunner, First Sergeant, and Command Sergeant Major. He is currently serving as the State Mountaineer Challenge Academy Director for West Virginia.
Lambruno earned his bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership from Mountain State University and has also completed The United States Army Sergeants Major Academy.
Workforce Development Board – Gary McCallister
A resident of Alum Creek, Gary McCallister has worked as a carpenter in West Virginia for 37 years with his work focused primarily on building bridges across the state. He brings to the role a passion for encouraging state residents to pursue careers in the vocational fields, regularly traveling around the state with the Charleston Carpenter’s Local 429 union. McCallister has experienced firsthand the imperative to fill these critically needed positions that are in short supply both in West Virginia and across the country.
McCallister also works with men and women working to rebuild their lives following their release from the state’s correctional facilities in helping to connect them with trade jobs.
Shepherd University Board of Governors – Bernard Lee Snyder
Bernard Lee Snyder brings an array of professional experience and love for Jefferson County to his new role on the Board of Governors for Shepherd University. An alumnus, Snyder graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree from Shepherd University majoring in Biology and Chemistry. He holds a Master of Business Administration, graduating in 2014 from Shepherd University as well, and cites Dr. Karl Bell as his favorite professor. Although he has been the CEO of Snyder Environmental Services, Inc. since 1979, Snyder is also president of Jefferson Utilities and Oak Meadow, LLC. His vast experience includes utility construction contracting, engineering, subdivision planning and building, landfill permitting, solid waste engineering and construction, land acquisition, and permitting and regulatory issues. Snyder is deeply involved in Shepherd University, having served the local community and the campus. In fact, he was integral in the upgrades and maintenance of the President’s home. Snyder and his wife, Karen, live in Jefferson County and in Estero, Florida, and have two children and two grandchildren.
Shepherd University Board of Governors – Lara Omps-Botteicher
A summa cum laude graduate of West Virginia University, Lara Omps-Botteicher earned degrees in English, history, and political science before finishing second in her WVU Law School class and serving as senior managing editor of the Law Review. She went on to clerk for Judge Gina Groh and has worked in private practice, the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Omps-Botteicher has been widely recognized for her work, including the West Virginia State Bar Young Lawyer of the Year and the State Journal’s “40 Under 40.” As a federal prosecutor, she has led major cases involving drug trafficking and organized crime, earning commendations from community partners and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
A lifelong resident of the Eastern Panhandle, she has deep ties to Shepherd University and has mentored its students through internships, externships, and criminal-investigation coursework. She serves on community boards and stays involved locally through volunteer work and her family’s businesses.
West Virginia State University Board of Governors – Roger Nicholson
Roger Nicholson has over 35 years of experience in the energy industry to advise clients on commercial and transactional legal issues and has previously served as a senior officer and General Counsel for three publicly traded coal producers, most recently serving as Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel, and Secretary of Alpha Metallurgical Resources. Nicholson earned his bachelor’s degree from Georgetown College and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Kentucky, J. David Rosenberg College of Law. He has been on the Board of Directors for the Clay Center, the Kanawha County Humane Association and the Coaches for Kids Foundation benefitting the University of Kentucky Children’s Hospital. Nicholson has resided in Charleston, WV since 2002, and in addition to practicing law, he is part-owner of a number of locally owned restaurants and real estate businesses. Nicholson is a member of the Charleston, WV law firm of Nicholson Moore PLLC.
PEIA Finance Board – James J. Cava, Jr.
James Cava, Jr. is a seasoned entrepreneur and financial leader with experience across multiple industries, including accounting, insurance, technology, construction, transportation, and pharmacy. He is the founder and managing member of Cava & Banko, PLLC, a CPA firm serving small businesses, and a founder of Watchtower Insurance. He also serves as CFO and strategy lead for IDM, a marketing-technology firm that created Excipio, a U.S. small-business database with 1.6 billion records.
Cava has founded and led several companies to successful growth or acquisition, including Information Manufacturing Corporation, Ryan Environmental, Ryan Environmental Transport, and Best Care Pharmacies. He has also invested in oil and gas, mining, plastics, and real estate ventures.
He previously served as an independent director at MVB Financial Corp, chairing the Audit and Risk Management Committees and contributing to HR and loan oversight.