CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Governor Patrick Morrisey announced a number of new appointments to boards and advisory committees.
Jefferson County Public Defender’s Board:
Aaron Amore, from Charles Town, WV, has been appointed as Chairman of the Jefferson County Public Defender’s Corporation in the 28th Judicial Circuit. Amore has been the sole owner/practitioner for Amore Law, PLLC since 2011. He is a graduate from Fordham University, Bronx, NY, where he achieved a Bachelor’s of Arts in History and Theology. He completed his Juris Doctorate at the University of Connecticut School of Law in Hartford, CT. Amore worked in the Public Defender’s office 23rd Judicial Circuit from 1995–1999. He then became a managing partner at Kratovil & Amore, PCCE, from 2004-2011. Amore was one of the formative participants to coordinate the inception of the 28th Judicial Circuit with local judges to address the shortage of attorneys available for cases in Jefferson County. He has served on numerous boards including CASA of the Eastern Panhandle, WV State Bar Co-Chair for Bankruptcy from 2014-2024, and US Chapter 7 Panel for Bankruptcy Trustees from 2014-present.
West Virginia Board of Chiropractic:
Dr. Michael Kominsky, from Daniels, WV, has 38 years of experience as a Chiropractic Physician and is established as a highly respected professional in his field. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned his Doctorate from Life Chiropractic College in Marietta, Georgia. Since 2008, Kominsky Chiropractic has been a well-recognized clinic in Southern West Virginia, initially based in Oak Hill and later relocating to Beckley. Dr. Kominsky's distinguished career includes membership in the ICA Sports Council and a significant role in the 1986 Olympics in Seoul, Korea, where he provided care for athletes. He is a Diplomat in Electrodiagnostic Testing, having pursued neurodiagnostic studies at the New York Chiropractic College. Additionally, he is affiliated with the American Board of Clinical Electrodiagnosis and the West Virginia Chiropractic Society. Dr. Kominsky is certified to perform Independent Medical Examinations by the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners and the WV Workers Compensation Commission, as well as Disability and Impairment Evaluations by the National Association of Disability Evaluating Professionals. Beyond his chiropractic accomplishments, Dr. Kominsky was an elite track athlete. He attended UNC Chapel Hill on a full track scholarship, ran for the Adidas track club, and won the WV Toughman Contest in 1996. He and his wife Julie have two children: Alexandria, a Literary Agent in Dallas, TX; and Miles, a software engineer in Charlotte, NC.
Governor’s Mansion Advisory Committee:
Leflore Barbour Lucas is the Executive Director of Kanawha Valley Tourism. She has more than a decade of experience with marketing, events, fundraising and public affairs in the non-profit, government and political arenas. Prior to her current role, she was a marketing official with an education non-profit based in the Charleston area. Previously, Lucas served as the Deputy Director of Public Affairs for the Attorney General of Arkansas, Scheduler for the Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee, and Assistant to the Chair. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Mississippi. Lucas is an active member of the Junior League of Charleston and West Virginia Society of Colonial Dames. She and her husband reside in Charleston with their daughter.
Governor’s Mansion Advisory Committee:
Elisa K. Payne was born in Stone Mountain, Georgia. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from West Virginia University and completed her master’s degree in Business Administration at WVU In 1997. Elisa moved to Charleston to marry Charles K. Payne IV in 1995. Before starting her family, Elisa was the corporate advertising director for Tudor’s Biscuit World/Gino’s Pizza and Stone & Thomas Department Store. Elisa has several passions outside of her family. She is the owner of a local gift boutique, Eggplant, in the Bridge Road shops in Charleston. She is blessed to attend Redeemer Lutheran Church in Charleston and Charleston Christian Fellowship Church in Campbell’s Creek. She proudly serves as a member of the Kanawha County Republican Executive Committee, Kanawha County Republican Women’s Federation, Christian American Patriots, Moms for Liberty, and Moms in Prayer. Elisa and Charles have three grown children, Charlie, Katie and Anna.
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine Board of Governors:
Norman E. Wood, Jr. graduated from John Marshall High School in Glendale, WV, in 1973. After graduating from the WV State Police Academy as the Outstanding Cadet in 1978, he served as a WV State Trooper from 1978–1985. He then graduated from Fairmont State College in 1986 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice/Psychology. He was recruited into federal law enforcement and taught students of the CIA, Secret Service, and US Marshals Service. He then became a Special Agent on the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force in San Francisco. In May 1988, Dr. Wood made the largest drug seizure in US history. He then went back to get his pre-medical undergraduate requirements from Fairmont State College and in 1993 enrolled in the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg. In 1997, he graduated with honors and became a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. He owned and operated four Urgent Care Clinics and was the Veterans Administration Physician Director and helped operate numerous clinics in the Seattle, WA area. In addition to being an author, his time spent as an ironworker in West Virginia led him to the invention and patent of the Rescue One Survivor Harness, a controlled descent system. Dr. Wood currently resides in Cameron, WV.
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine Board of Governors:
Dewayne Duncan, of Charleston, WV, is an educator, real estate developer, and lifelong West Virginian. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Charleston and a master's degree from Marshall University. Prior to transitioning full-time into operating his residential and commercial real estate development company, Duncan spent more than 20 years in the public education system, where he worked as a teacher and principal. He then went on to work at the West Virginia Department of Education where he served as the Executive Director of the Office of Middle School and Secondary Education. Duncan is a former member of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine Foundation Board. He was also a Governor-appointed member of the West Virginia Public Charter School Board from June of 2018 until August of 2025.