West Virginia Rivers Board of Directors
Favorite rivers: Laurel Fork of the Cheat, Upper Gauley, and Big Sandy.
Shawn Romano (Vice-Chair), a native West Virginian, resides in Charleston where he is a practicing attorney. Shawn learned his love of the outdoors at a very young age from his grandfather; who would take him fishing and exploring in the woods along the West Fork River in Lewis County. His enjoyment of paddling moving water began in Morgantown while he was a student, and continues to this day. Shawn spends most of his river time on the Greenbrier River, and has paddled it’s entire length. His time on the Greenbrier has reinforced his belief that strong, vibrant ecosystems rely on a foundation of clean water. He is most proud to have passed his love of rivers on to his daughters, Sophia and Isabella, both of whom enjoy spending time on the river.
Favorite River: Greenbrier.
Stephen Estrada (Treasurer) developed a passion for kayaking during his time working throughout Utah, Wyoming and Colorado. Stephen has experience working in financial services and healthcare. He now lives in Morgantown with his wife, Jaime and one year old daughter, Stella. When not kayaking, you will find Stephen and his family riding bikes up and down Deckers Creek Trail or hiking and climbing around Cheat Canyon.
Favorite WV River: Cheat River.
Ed Gertler (Secretary) is a retired engineer with Maryland Department of the Environment, Water Management Administration, where he worked from 1970 to 2013. He has been an accomplished whitewater canoeist for nearly 50 years, and is the author of three paddling guidebooks and contributor to others. He is also an avid hiker, biker, contradancer, and weed warrior.
Favorite WV River: Smoke Hole Canyon, South Branch of the Potomac
Paul Breuer is a whitewater rafting industry pioneer. In 1973 he formed Mountain River Tours and became the first outfitter to run the Gauley River. Through his innovation, leadership and vision he provided and opportunity for millions to experience outdoor adventure activities.
Favorite WV River: Gauley for whitewater, Upper New for family floating, Cranberry above Woodbine for fly fishing, Dries of the New River for spectacular scenery
Ben Hawkins is originally from Parkersburg WV and deeply understands the value of clean, safe water. As a child, he tagged along with his father who maintained municipal wastewater and freshwater systems across the Mid-Ohio Valley. After several friends and family faced cancers and ulcerative colitis later in life, he became a passionate advocate for communities impacted by PFAS contamination. When he’s not thinking about PFAS, he is creating social impact campaigns for foundations and nonprofit organizations focused on improving public health.
Jennifer Sass is an avid whitewater kayaker, rafter, cross-country-skier and fireside chatter. She was born in upstate New York. Following her father’s military service and graduate studies, the family relocated to Saskatchewan, Canada where Jennifer grew up. She made her way back to the U.S. for her own graduate studies in environmental and occupational health, and has lived in this region ever since. Jennifer works as a scientist to advance safer chemical policies and practices that protect the health of our waterways and wild spaces, and the people and animals that depend on them. Jennifer resides in Maryland with her husband and two cats.Favorite WV River: The Cheat Canyon in spring, and the Gauley in Fall.
Betsy Pyle grew up near the Ohio River downstream of Pittsburgh in western PA. She really didn’t start to appreciate rivers until her late husband, Jamie Shumway, taught her to kayak and canoe in whitewater near Lexington, KY; they met there after she completed graduate degrees at the University of South Carolina and the University of Minnesota. Betsy and Jamie left the University of Kentucky and moved to Morgantown, WV, 40 years ago, where they worked at West Virginia University – Jamie in Medical Education, and Betsy in the Geography department. Betsy’s interest in rural economies included profiling manufacturing spinoffs of the region’s whitewater recreation industry. The couple enjoyed tandem canoe adventures on local favorites like the Youghiogheny, Cheat, and New Rivers. They also challenged their tandem canoe skills with a 10-day trip on Ontario’s Missinaibi River and a 13-day trip on the Colorado River through Grand Canyon. Now Betsy enjoys flatwater kayaking whenever she can near Morgantown, and remains a committed supporter of groups in WV dedicated to protecting the State’s water and land resources. ALS cut Jamie’s life short 10 years ago, but the couple got involved in strengthening WV Rivers Coalition from its very beginning. Now, Betsy looks forward to becoming more engaged in WVRC as a board member.
Favorite WV River: The Blackwater River, including its powerful waterfall and canyon scenery as well as its lazy stretches through Canaan Valley.
Dave Bassage has spent the bulk of his life caring for and playing in the wild and wonderful parts of West Virginia, with a focus on rivers. When the Cheat River turned bright orange from a massive acid mine drainage blowout in the early 90s, he founded Friends of the Cheat, with substantial help from the fledgling West Virginia Rivers Coalition. Today, both organizations have grown to become vital leaders in the state, and the Cheat River now supports an ever more diverse ecosystem. Dave has served in both staff and Board positions with WVRC in the past, spent six years promoting responsible environmental stewardship at the WV Department of Environmental Protection, has managed multiple raft companies, and this Fall will embark on his 42nd season as an Upper Gauley raft guide. He currently serves as New River Gorge Program Coordinator with the New River Conservancy.
Favorite River: Picking a favorite river is like picking a favorite child – they all deserve love. Current favorite is the Meadow River, on whose banks he resides.
Dr. Danny Twilley is the Assistant Vice President of Economic and Community Development at West Virginia University, serving out of the Provost’s Office. In this role he and the team utilize asset based economic development by investing in people and place to support talent attraction and retention programs including the remote worker initiative, community and economic development, asset development and enhancement, business and workforce programs, and research all to make West Virginia the premier place to live, work, play, go to school, and do business. He approaches this work by engaging developing effective collaborations and partnerships across the University, state and local governments, non-profits, industry, and related groups to stand-up and advance initiatives.
Through his and the team’s work, he has helped secure over $50 million in external funding through federal, state, and philanthropic partnerships. Additionally, he has supported partnering organizations in applying, receiving, and executing $20+ million in funding. In his academic role he has published numerous journal articles, book chapters, technical reports with a research interest centering on community evaluation, population trends, factors to talent retention and attraction, how recreation transforms people and place which includes the psychological outcomes of leisure engagement, recreation’s role is community development, and the socio-economic impact of recreation-based development.
Favorite River: The Cheat!
Ryan C. Gaujot, P.H. is a Senior Environmental Program Manager, Professional Hydrologist, and founder of multiple environmental ventures with over 20 years of experience advancing water resource management, environmental due diligence, and regulatory compliance. As President of Green Rivers LLC and Founder of Green Rivers Mitigation Inc., he has led multi-state projects in mitigation banking, NEPA permitting, and site remediation. Ryan’s expertise includes Phase I/II ESAs, Section 404/401 compliance, and risk-based solutions aligned with ESG goals. He also co-founded CoolHouse Inc., an environmental technology firm targeting acid mine drainage recovery. Ryan holds an M.S. in Geology from WVU and is certified in Rosgen Level IV stream restoration. He lives in Thomas, WV, with his wife and two kids, where he integrates conservation and community development.
