WV Rivers Staff
Jennie Smith
Jennie’s journey began in Nashville, Tennessee, where her connection to nature was deeply ingrained from an early age. Her passion for the environment intensified during her time as a kayaker in New York City, where she realized that the waters she loved could also pose significant health risks. This personal experience ignited her involvement in local initiatives aimed at improving water quality in NYC, particularly around the Hudson River. Her commitment to environmental protection has carried over to her work in West Virginia, where she is dedicated to safeguarding the state’s rivers and streams.
As an experienced non-profit leader, Jennie brings a strong background in strategic planning, communications, fundraising, and operations to her role at the WV Rivers Coalition. Her career has been driven by a passion for building strong partnerships with a variety of stakeholders and creating meaningful change within the communities she serves. Beyond her professional life, she spends her spare time training for triathlons, hiking through the stunning landscapes of West Virginia, learning to call square dance, playing the tuba, and foraging for mushrooms.
Autumn Leah Crowe
Autumn grew up swimming and fishing in the waters of the Greenbrier River where she gained her love of nature and desire to protect the environment. She obtained a BS in Environmental Protection and a MS in Soil Science from West Virginia University. Her experience as an environmental scientist includes wetland delineations, environmental site assessments, and permitting. Autumn also served as the Environmental Coordinator for an Alaska Native Tribe and later worked for a nonprofit providing technical assistance and training to Tribal environmental programs state-wide. After 5 years in Alaska, she served as the Environmental Director for a Nevada Tribe. Autumn returned home to West Virginia in 2015 and combines the skills she gained while working out-of-state with her love and knowledge of West Virginia to protect the State’s valuable rivers and headwater streams. When not working, Autumn enjoys activities that allow her to spend time outdoors whether its hunting, fishing, hiking or biking.
Shannon Cunningham-Snead
A native of Lewis County, Shannon grew up with a love of the outdoors, swimming in the Buckhannon River and being quizzed by her dad on tree names. She later moved to Nashville, TN, where she earned her B.A. in Sociology and Religious Studies from Vanderbilt University and her Master’s degree in Public Administration from Tennessee State University. Various roles in nonprofit programming, training, and volunteer management led Shannon to come home to West Virginia to work in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership. Her love of systems and organizational sustainability work is a great fit for her new position with WV Rivers, where she will lead our administrative functions. Shannon is a graduate of Leadership West Virginia and a member of the steering committee of the newly launched Leadership Lewis. She lives in Harrison County with her husband, son, two dogs, and a cat. She loves to read, cook, travel, and walk through the woods.
Than Hitt
Nathaniel “Than” Hitt is a tenth-generation West Virginian and freshwater biologist with expertise in fisheries, water quality, climate change, and open-science strategies. He received his BA from the College of Wooster, MS from the University of Montana, and PhD from Virginia Tech. From 2009 to 2024, he served as a Research Fish Biologist with the US Geological Survey in Kearneysville, WV.
Maria Russo
Maria was raised on a small farm in Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia, where she developed her love for the natural environment and her passion for protecting all things beautiful. Maria attended Brown University, earning Bachelor’s Degrees in both Public Policy and Latin American Studies. Maria is passionate about responsible policymaking and centering directly impacted people in decision-making processes. Early in her career, Maria worked on restorative drug policy and criminal justice campaigns, supporting grassroots organizing efforts in various forms. Across sectors, Maria has led strategic initiatives, managed large-scale projects, facilitated iterative design processes, and effectively engaged stakeholders across various identities. More recently, Maria worked as a Lobbyist with the West Virginia Environmental Council, helping to pass the PFAS Protection Act and other legislation that supports environmental protection in the state of WV. As our Policy Specialist, Maria hopes to combine policy progress with community engagement to ensure effective participation in shaping the future we hope to see. In her downtime, you can find Maria walking barefoot through the woods at Sistermoon Farm, listening to live music, or floating down the river with friends.
Kate Leary
Prior to joining West Virginia Rivers in 2021, Kate has worked for Philanthropy West Virginia as a Program and Engagement Coordinator, Friends of Blackwater Canyon as an Executive Assistant and Outreach Staffer, and the West Virginia Environmental Council as a lobbyist.
Kate has a Masters Degree from the University of Montana and a Bachelors Degree from Allegheny College, both in Environmental Studies. She will be working on day to day operations and grants to support West Virginia Rivers mission of conserving and restoring West Virginia’s exceptional rivers and streams.
Maggie Stange
Maggie grew up in Northeastern Pennsylvania, where she was most at home catching frogs and fishing with her grandfathers throughout the region. Now, Maggie calls the New River Gorge home. Maggie brings a decade of communications and fundraising experience to the WV Rivers team. She manages and develops communications, marketing, and advocacy materials, supports fundraising efforts, and works alongside program staff to promote the impact of our projects and campaigns. Since 2018, Maggie has raised more than $12 million online alone for progressive movements and causes across the county. In her free time, Maggie enjoys swimming and kayaking in all the exceptional streams, creeks, rivers, and lakes West Virginia offers with her rescue Corgi, Ozzy.
Crys Bauer
After growing up in Maryland, Crys soon found herself in the wild and wonderful state of West Virginia and never looked back. The moment she dipped her toes in the Shenandoah River, her love for not only the water, but the mountains and the communities that filled them grew exponentially. Within months, she considered herself an “adopted West Virginian” and dove headfirst into the whitewater scene, learning how to be a good paddler, an effective steward of the environment, and a contributing member of the local community. Since then, Crys has “eddyed out” in the small town of Kingwood and continues to work to protect the amazing rivers and streams of West Virginia, as well as every hill and holler in between. Crys’s education, experience, and passion for protecting West Virginia’s natural resources provide a unique asset to the West Virginia Rivers team, helping to foster connections with members and supporters and advance the organizational mission. Crys also serves as the Membership and Fulfillment Secretary of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy since 2022. When Crys isn’t hard at work, you can find her somewhere in the mountains, hard at play, enjoying an adventure with her family, friends, and three dogs (Snoop Dogg, Master P, and Nelly).
Mike Jones
Mike joins WV Rivers with multiple experiences in environmental and public lands advocacy. Mike is a West Virginian “by choice” having fallen in love with the beauty of the state and its rivers and public lands. He will be working on public lands advocacy, legislative initiatives to protect public lands, and coordinating the West Virginians for Public Lands Alliance. Mike formerly practiced law; has a Master’s degree from West Virginia University; and is a Ph.D. candidate at WVU writing his dissertation on environmental policy in Appalachia while teaching undergrad classes including environmental policy. Mike is based in Morgantown, where he lives with his wife and their cat. He enjoys hiking along the Mon River (only blocks from his house) and in West Virginia’s public parks and recreation areas.
Carrie Decker
Carrie Decker is a nonprofit professional with over two decades of experience in management, operations, marketing, and communications. With a passion for rural communities and climate & energy justice, especially how it relates to resiliency, Carrie has worked to advocate on behalf of and alongside many organizations and individuals in the Mountain State. Carrie enjoys making connections and thriving relationships with communities to amplify diverse voices.
With lived experience in failing water systems and unreliable water hauling, Carrie knows clean water is a basic human right. Her tenure working with small businesses, tourism, and economic development in the state leads her to advocate for clean rivers and free access to them. A graduate of the 2024 Leadership WV cohort, Carrie earned her Master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from Penn State University.
When Carrie’s not building connections and growing WV Rivers’ community presence, you can find Carrie on her 84-acre ranch in Roane County with her kids, her animals, and a steady supply of fresh air and quiet.
Mariah Clay
Mariah, a proud West Virginian from Mingo County, is an advocate driven by their passion for making a difference in their beloved home state. They are a 2021 graduate of Marshall University, holding a bachelor’s degree in public relations where they held a role as secretary for The Sustainability Club, which was successful in obtaining a signature from President Gilbert on The Break Free From Plastic Pledge. Prior to their role at WV Rivers, Mariah worked with POWHR (Protect Our Water Heritage Rights) as a Communications Intern and with Coalfield Development as an Americorps service member for Conservation. Having spent their formative years in the heart of West Virginia, Mariah’s commitment to their community and state is unwavering. Their deep connection to the effort to hold the Mountain Valley Pipeline accountable is rooted in personal experiences. Having witnessed the similar tactics employed by both the gas and coal industries, they understand the urgency to protect communities from environmental harms. Mariah currently serves as the MVP Organizer with WV Rivers Coalition.
Charlise Robinson
Charlise is an experienced community organizer dedicated to protecting the Ohio River. With a multigenerational family heritage in Kanawha County, WV, Charlise has spent the majority of her life near the Ohio River, deeply understanding its significance and challenges. After witnessing the impact of industrial and chemical pollution on the river and her own water supply, Charlise committed herself to advocating for clean water. With a focus on increasing dialogue in the region about the vital nature of water, not just for industry, but for life itself. As Ohio River Coordinator, Charlise works in the region to increase dialogue and collective action about the vital nature of water for future generations. Charlise is a mother of three and cares for two dogs, Ruby and Juice.
Administrative Support
