contributors
Maggie Matsko Olivia Miller Aaron Rote Ginna Royce Katlin Swisher
Maggie Matsko is the
communications and
development specialist
for the Ursuline Sisters of
Mount Saint Joseph, an
organization of women
who minister to the needs
of the communities in
which they serve. Matsko
is a graduate of West
Virginia University, where
she received her bachelor’s
and master’s degrees in
journalism. A native of
Delaware, she resides in
Owensboro, KY, with
her fiancé and two cats. Olivia Miller is a
multimedia specialist at the
Eberly College of Arts and
Sciences at West Virginia
University (WVU). She
studied at WVU, where
she worked as a social
media video producer for
100 Days in Appalachia
and received a bachelor’s
degree in journalism. In her
spare time, she freelances
as a videographer and
photographer. A native
of Hendricks, WV,
Miller has a passion
for traveling, writing
and adventuring. Aaron Rote is the co-owner
of Short Story Brewing,
a family-owned craft
brewery. He was born and
raised in Rivesville, WV,
just minutes from the
building that now houses
the brewery. Rote received
his master’s degree in
creative writing from West
Virginia University. He
currently serves as president
of the West Virginia
Craft Brewers Guild, and
he spends most of his free
time running, hiking and
haunting the Morgantown
bar and restaurant scene. Ginna Royce is the
founder of BlaineTurner
Advertising in
Morgantown, WV, where
she is the CEO and
creative director alongside
her husband, Delbert,
the CFO. Adventure
seekers at heart, the
couple has traveled to
all seven continents and
is planning a return
trip to Antarctica in
December. She is a
graduate of West Virginia
University, where she
received her bachelor’s
degree in journalism. Katlin Swisher is
the interim director
of marketing and
communications for the
Eberly College of Arts
and Sciences and an
instructor of leadership
studies at West Virginia
University (WVU).
She holds a Ph.D. and
master’s degree in higher
education administration
and a bachelor’s degree
in journalism from
WVU and serves as the
managing editor for the
Graduate Student Journal
of Higher Education.
Tracy Toler Kristen Uppercue Alicia Willard Jessica Wintz-Adams
Tracy Toler scaled Seneca
Rocks at the age of 5 and has
been reaching new heights
ever since. Through his
business, Tracy A. Toler
Photography, he has served as
creative director and feature
photographer for many of the
region’s largest magazines.
Known as Mr. McGyver,
he can fix anything with a
bobby pin, rubber band or
Swiss Army knife, which
comes in handy at home
with his two daughters.
Toler may be reached at
[email protected]. Kristen Uppercue is a
senior journalism major at
West Virginia University.
Serving as the student
editor for 100 Days in
Appalachia, she curates
content for the publication
and will begin a graduate
assistantship in the fall.
She is currently editor in
chief of Mirage Magazine,
a student-run lifestyle
publication she helped
create. She enjoys traveling
and photography,
spending most of her free
time behind a camera. Alicia Willard is the vice
president for the strategic
communications team
at Signal Group. Before
joining Signal, she held
multiple positions at IQ
Solutions, Golin and
the Asthma and Allergy
Foundation of America.
She is a graduate of West
Virginia University, where
she received her bachelor’s
degree in public relations
and a minor in
communications. She
lives in Denver, CO,
with her husband. Jessica Wintz-Adams is
a government relations
specialist for Orion
Strategies. She holds
bachelor’s degrees in public
relations and political
science from Marshall
University and is a
graduate of the Leadership
West Virginia Class of
2015. She is also a member
of the Marshall University
Alumni Association’s
board of directors. Wintz-
Adams lives in Charleston
with her husband, Steven,
and their cat, Belle.
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE
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explaining the
main points of the
suggested story.
Freelance writers
should submit
writing samples
and a résumé. For
more information,
contact Jennifer
Jett Prezkop at
[email protected].