Kelsey Staggers

Question: Where are you from? What made you want to represent WVU?

Answer: I’m originally from Fairmont, spent many years in Morgantown as a WVU student, and later lived in Charleston for eight years working for the WV Department of Commerce. 

For me, this work comes down to impact. During my undergraduate capstone in strategic communications, I worked with the town of Matewan on community branding. Seeing firsthand how university-driven projects could create real value for local communities inspired me to pursue a master's degree in public administration. It also reinforced the important role WVU plays in the state. I want to represent WVU because I have experienced the impact of its work firsthand, both on my own professional journey and in the communities it serves. I'm motivated by the opportunity to help strengthen those connections and create opportunities that make a difference for people across West Virginia.

Question: Tell me about your family.

Answer: My husband, Phillip, and I met in graduate school. I have an older sister who lives in Indianapolis and a niece I totally adore. My dad still lives in Fairmont. Phillip and I are always on the go, so we don’t have children or pets yet, but a cat is probably in our future.

Question: What do you do in your spare time?

Answer: My husband and I are outdoor junkies. We love cross-country skiing and mountain biking, and we travel frequently to ride. He is also an avid whitewater kayaker, while I consider myself a reluctant whitewater rafter.

I recently started needlepointing, which has become one of my favorite ways to slow down and listen to audiobooks or music. I also collect vinyl records and enjoy visiting local record stores whenever I travel.

Question: What would you say is WVU’s greatest strength?

Answer: WVU’s land-grant mission. The University is deeply mission-driven and touches lives in nearly every community across the state. Its impact reaches far beyond campus through education, research, service, and community engagement.

Question: Where is your favorite place to visit in West Virginia?

Answer: My heart is split between Canaan Valley and the New River Gorge. I grew up visiting Canaan Valley, and it is also where my husband proposed and where we were married. At the same time, we spend so much of our time biking and enjoying the outdoors in the New River Gorge. Both places are incredibly meaningful to me.

Question: What is your favorite hidden gem in West Virginia?

Answer: White Grass Ski Touring Center in Canaan Valley is one of my favorite places in West Virginia. In my opinion, it's the kind of place where you can simply show up and have a great day, whether you've ever been on cross-country skis or not. The atmosphere is incredibly welcoming, it makes you want to stay awhile. It also has some of the best food in the state. White Grass days are one of the things that make me look forward to winter a little bit.

Question: Pepperoni roll or WVU cookie?

Answer: Pepperoni roll, and I have strong opinions about them because I’m from Fairmont, where they originated. I prefer stick pepperoni, but I don’t hold anything against the sliced-pepperoni crowd.

Question: How does your work impact WVU?

Answer: My work ultimately comes down to relationships. West Virginia is a state where authentic connections carry a lot of weight. Strengthening the relationships between WVU, our communities and industry partners creates opportunities for students, faculty and staff.

Those relationships can lead to meaningful research collaborations, experiential learning opportunities, workforce development and stronger community engagement. At the end of the day, relationships lead to everything.

Question: What are you most excited to accomplish in your new role?

Answer: I’m excited to deepen relationships between WVU and its corporate and community partners. In my previous economic development work, I saw how quickly the University could become a problem-solver when brought into a project.

WVU is both an R1 research university and the state’s land-grant institution, so it brings tremendous value to students, businesses and communities. I’m excited to better understand the resources available across the University and connect those capabilities with partners and opportunities throughout the state.

Question: What is your favorite WVU tradition?

Answer: Mountaineer Week, especially when fair-style food and corn dogs are readily available on campus. As an alumna, I also appreciate Homecoming because it brings people back to Morgantown and gives us an opportunity to reconnect and revisit memories from our time at WVU.