Charleston, W.Va. – Today, Governor Patrick Morrisey announced the following new appointments to his administration:
Department of Commerce:
Christine Davies, Deputy Secretary for Economic Development and Workforce ParticipationChristine Davies brings 25 years of cross-sector leadership experience to her role as Deputy Secretary, with a track record of scaling mission-driven organizations and aligning public-private strategies. In this role, Davies will lead initiativesfor business attraction, investment partnership development, and the alignment of workforce readiness initiatives with economic development strategies across West Virginia. Her experience includes working on international economic, energy, and development initiatives at the U.S. Department of State; serving as a trade specialist for the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand; and working for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. She most recently launched a global policy advisory marketplace connecting clients to top bipartisan policy subject matter experts. Davies received her BA from the University of Maryland and her MBA from the University of Virginia.
Chris Morris, Data Economy Liaison/Director of the Data Economy Office Chris Morris brings more than 20 years of executive leadership across West Virginia’s public and private sectors, with deep experience in infrastructure, taxation, and economic development. In this role, established by enactment of House Bill 2014, the Governor’s initiative to promote West Virginia’s development of microgrids and data centers, Morris will be responsible for coordinating and expediting all state government activities to promote the development of certified high impact data centers and certified microgrid districts. As the Data Economy Liaison, Morris will serve as the state’s single point of contact for industry, local governments, and relevant stakeholders on all matters related to the development of data centers and microgrids. As a former State Tax Commissioner and longtime senior executive at Citynet, he has led major modernization efforts, forged impactful public-private partnerships, and advanced statewide broadband and revenue strategies.
Todd Hooker, Acting Director of the Division of Economic Development Todd Hooker brings more than 30 years of experience in economic and community development leadership to the role. His past experience includes serving as Deputy Executive Director and Deputy Director of Business and Industrial Development of the prior West Virginia Department of Economic Development. Over the course of his career, he has earned a strong reputation for leading business retention and expansion efforts and is highly regarded by site selectors, government leadership, and industry partners across the region. Todd is a graduate of West Virginia University, where he studied history and political science.
Office of the Governor:
Michael Higgs, Government Transformation OfficerMichael Higgs is a seasoned executive with over two decades of experience in government leadership, regulatory oversight, technology modernization, and strategic fiscal management. In this role Higgs will support the Governor’s efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of state government. His tenure as the Director of the Maryland State Department of Assessments & Taxation (SDAT) saw him oversee 600 employees, manage a $170M budget, and transform one of the state’s most challenging agencies into a model of efficiency and innovation. His background includes significant accomplishments in technology-driven modernization, legislative advocacy, and public-private partnerships. Michael spent most of his summers growing up on his grandparents’ farm in Metz, West Virginia and spends as much time as he can on his family property in the hills of Mannington. Michael received his BA from the University of Maryland and his law degree from George Washington University Law School.
Alan Vester, Deputy General Counsel & Legislative AdvisorAlan Vester is an accomplished attorney with extensive legal and government experience, who previously served as Senior Counsel in the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office, where he managed multi-state investigations and provided legal guidance on legislative matters. Vester brings added experience as Deputy General Counsel to South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, overseeing legal responses across executive agencies and leading pro-life policy efforts. Vester earned his J.D. with honors from Washburn University School of Law.
Grace Bannister, Governor's Washington, D.C. RepresentativeGrace Bannister brings extensive experience in public affairs, government relations, and strategic communications across a variety of sectors. Most recently, she served on the Government Affairs team at Cheniere Energy, where she supported federal government engagement and strategy for a Fortune 500 company. Prior to that, she worked as a Public Affairs Associate at Hamilton Place Strategies/Penta Group, where she advised a wide variety of clients on multi-stakeholder advocacy and strategic communications campaigns. Bannister received her BA from Harvard University and is a native of Logan County.
Governor Morrisey also announced the following appointments to boards and commissions:
Ethics Commission:
Kayla Kessinger is a former 8-year member of the House of Delegates who is currently the Programs Director for Her PLAN, an organization seeking to connect and grow the pro-life safety net for vulnerable women, children, and families around the country.
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College Board of Governors:
Allison Kate Endicottis the Principal of Westside High School. Previously, she served as an English teacher in Mingo County Schools. She holds a master’s degree in literacy education and a school principalship certification from Marshall University.
West Virginia Board of Veterinary Medicine
George Seiler DVM is a graduate of West Virginia University with a B.S. in Animal and Veterinary Sciences in 1978, and the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 1983 with a doctorate in veterinary medicine. Dr. Seiler co-established Paw Prints Veterinary Clinic in 1985 and has been the managing veterinarian for NVA Paw Prints Veterinary Clinic in Morgantown, WV since 2012. He was Adjunct Faculty, Division of Animal & Nutritional Sciences from 1993 – 2024 at WVU where he was an instructor in Veterinary Medicine. He is past president of the West Virginia Veterinary Medical Association and since 2002 is an Oversight Committee Member for the West Virginia University, Davis-Michael Scholars Program. Dr. Seiler has won many awards for his work as a veterinarian including the West Virginia Veterinary Medical Association Veterinarian of the Year in 2004 and the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine Pegasus Award in 2020.
West Virginia State Fair Advisory Council Board:
Conrad Lucas is a senior advisor to corporations and nonprofit organizations across many sectors including energy, infrastructure, telecommunications, healthcare and education. He is an attorney and President of Golden Horseshoe Strategies, LLC based in Charleston.
Chelsea Ruby has been the Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Tourism for the past eight years. In that role, she oversees the state’s branding and marketing program and its efforts to attract and expand tourism businesses. As of July 1st of this year, she also oversees all state activities relating to the arts, culture, and history.
Robert “Trey” Louis Holland, III has over a decade of experience in the field of Oil & Gas as a Title Abstractor and Heirship Researcher, and is employed with Purple Land Management. He currently serves as Eastern Vice President of the Greenbrier County Republican Club and as a member of the Carnegie Hall Legislative Affairs and Arts Advocacy Committee.
Nathaneal Mason is a cattle ranch owner in Richie County as well as the Chair of the Richie County Republican Executive Committee, the President of the Youth Livestock Association, President and Vendor of the Ritchie County Farmer’s Market Association, Vice President of the State Board of the West Virginia Cattlemen’s Association and Member and Past Chair of the USDA Farm Service Agency County Committee.
Kara D. Dense is the President and CEO of Experience Greenbrier Valley, the official destination marketing organization for Greenbrier County, West Virginia. A Concord University honor graduate with nearly three decades of experience in travel and tourism, she has received statewide recognition and accolades for her leadership in boosting visitor spending and community engagement.
Rebecca Harless serves as the Vice President and Administrator of Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC)/Greenbrier Valley Medical Center (GVMC). A lifelong West Virginian, she began her CAMC career in 2011 and has held various leadership roles before stepping into her current position and spearheading recent community-focused improvements and certifications at GVMC.
Mike Kidd is a retired radio personality who spent 45 years at Radio Greenbrier, where he served as owner and general manager before retiring. A beloved local voice in Greenbrier County, Kidd helped shape WRON’s legacy in West Virginia radio through decades of community-focused programming and leadership.
Mike Stentz is the former Director of Information Technologies at The Greenbrier Hotel. Mike has worked with the State Fair Board and Facilities Committees over the last few years through many major projects and improvements on property. He is also state-certified official for youth sports, covering games and tournaments across the entire state.