The West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Centers at West Virginia University and Marshall University were created in 2005 by the West Virginia Legislature to promote economic development and environmental and public health protection through innovative redevelopment of brownfield sites. The Centers collaborate and coordinate closely to provide training and technical assistance, facilitate site preparation efforts, engage community stakeholders, and identify and pursue project funding.
Meet Our Team
Carrie M. Staton is the Director of WVU BAD Buildings, which provides technical assistance and resources to communities to address abandoned and dilapidated properties. Carrie provides strategic leadership and management, program development, partnership development, education and outreach, and develops research priorities, policies, and publication strategies on blight in rural Appalachia. Carrie also serves as Associate Director of the Northern WV Brownfields Assistance Center at West Virginia University.
Carrie provides operational leadership, including development and management of internal processes; program development and implementation; financial and administrative oversight; and partnership development and management. She also manages programs and projects related to community engagement, education, research, and collaborative redevelopment. Carrie oversees the identification and pursuit of research priorities and opportunities for the Center, including facilitating collaboration with faculty and communities. She has published case studies on brownfield redevelopment in industry publications and textbooks, and has presented at national and international conferences on brownfields and community development. She has also coauthored published research in public administration journals.
Carrie is a proud alum of Bethany College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Nonprofit Administration, and of West Virginia University, where she received a Master of Public Administration. She is a member of the Leadership WV Class of 2016 and was named one of Generation Next’s Top 40 Under 40 Leaders in 2018. She currently serves as the Board Secretary of PopShop, Inc., a nonprofit music academy dedicated to providing quality music education while working to nurture artistic and personal growth in students of all ages
Ray Moeller was born and raised in Michigan and went to college at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI. He received his B.S in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics with a minor in Chemistry. After an extensive career in the pharmaceutical industry, he secured an AmeriCorps VISTA position in West Virginia which led him into the community and economic development field. As an Economic Redevelopment Specialist, Ray works with communities around the state, focusing on downtown / Main Street redevelopment strategies. When Ray isn’t working, he and his wife Connie enjoy time together hiking, kayaking, biking, and reading.
Ganga Nakarmi is the Brownfields Inventory Project Manager at West Virginia Water Research Institute. In this role, she provides critical support in the development and management of projects, programs, and staff associated with the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center (NBAC).
Ms. Nakarmi is completing her PhD in Human and Community Development from West Virginia University (WVU) in May 2023. She has received a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information System and Spatial Analysis from WVU. She has also received her Master’s Degrees in Protected Area Management from Alpen-Adria University, Klagenfurt, Austria and in Botany (Ecology) from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. She has served in the fields of protected area management, human dimensions and conservation, and sustainable development through research, education, and outreach programs affiliated with national and international organizations.
Ms. Nakarmi grew up in Kathmandu, Nepal and moved to Morgantown to continue her studies at WVU. She enjoys hiking and biking in the mountains of WV and sharing her ethnic dishes with friends.
Katie See, AICP, is the Assistant Director for the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center (NBAC). In this role, she provides technical assistance on industrial legacy sites throughout WV and EPA Region 3. Katie assists communities with proposals and site development support to establish sustainable economic development initiatives for West Virginia. In addition to working with WV communities, she is the Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) lead for EPA Region 3, where she coordinates education, outreach, brownfield funding, and project redevelopment assistance in coordination with the EPA and state environmental agencies. Before joining the NBAC, Katie worked as a city and county planner since 2006, starting her career as the city planner for Charles Town, WV, where she had the opportunity to work with brownfield sites. Katie also served as a long-range planner for the City of Clearwater, FL, and a senior planner in the Charlotte, NC, metro area. Throughout her career, Katie has worked with communities and stakeholders to create plans to achieve their vision. Katie received her undergraduate degree in urban affairs and planning from Virginia Tech and her master’s in environmental policy & management.
Becca is the Outreach and Education Coordinator for the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center (NBAC). Becca supports all outreach activities, including organizing conferences and events, coordinating webinars, and managing websites and social media. Becca earned her degrees from Utah State University, specifically a bachelor’s degree in marketing and master’s degree in instructional leadership with an emphasis in student affairs. Becca and her family reside in Point Marion, PA and run a small gluten-free bakery from their home.