OUR TEAM
Rachael White
(she/her)
Delia Palmisano
(she/her)
Staff
Steve Patterson
ORCA Board Chair
City of Athens, Mayor
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Position Vacant
City of Nelsonville​
Amy Renner
ORCA Board Vice-Chair
Village of Chauncey, Mayor
Jay Kline
Village of Buchtel,
Council Member
Chris Chmiel
Athens County, Board of County Commissioners
Tim Warren
York Township,
Trustee President
Board of Directors
Advisory Committee
The ORCA Advisory Committee was created in 2019 alongside ORCA, and is intentionally composed of public and private stakeholders representing various sectors including: economic development, tourism, land management, recreation users, private enterprise, resource preservation, land use, health and wellness, education, workforce, community engagement, and regional planning in Athens and surrounding counties.
In 2023, 17 counties (Adams, Brown, Clermont, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, and Vinton) as well as the Cities of Jackson and Wellston, and the Vinton County Parks District, joined ORCA, along with intital Member County, Athens, as limited Partner Counties. Partner benefits include the opportunity to appoint three ORCA Advisory Committee Members per county.
Adams County: Paul Worley, (Commissioner Representative)
Athens County: Joel Prince and Boone Troyer, (Visit Athens County)
Brown County: Jennifer Patrick
Clermont County: Scott Gafvert, (Clermont County Department
of Community & Economic Development)
Gallia: Jay Stapleton, (Commissioner Representative)
Highland County: Jamie Wheeler, (Visitors Bureau of Highland
County); Brad Roades, (Commissioner Representative)
Jackson County: Sam Brady & John Stabler, (Jackson County Economic Development); Stacy Camp & Anthony Brenner, (City of Wellston); David Swackhammer & Randy Evans, (City of Jackson); Kay Howe, (Jackson County Convention and Visitors Bureau)
Lawrence County: Rick Jansen, (Lawrence County Solid Waste); Ralph Kline, (Ironton Lawrence Community Action Organization); Marty Conley, (Lawrence County Convention & Visitors Bureau); DeAnna Holliday, (Commissioner Representative)
Meigs County: Susan Leopold, (United Plant Savers); Maureen Burns, (President Village Council); Scott Hill, (Village of Racine)
Monroe County: Casey Bott, James Peters, Mick Schumacher, (Commissioner Representative)
Morgan County: Matthew Hupp; Clint Foreman, (Village of McConnelsville); Tracy Simons, (Morgan County Tourism); Adam Shriver, (Commissioner Representative)
Noble County: Jeff Minosky, (Noble County Convention &Visitors Bureau); Dawn Schultheis & Gwynn Stewart, (Ohio State University Extension Office); Gary Saling, (Commissioner Representative)
Pike County: Jennifer Chandler, (Village of Piketon); Shelly Anderson, (Village of Waverly); Chandler Grooms, (Pike County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism); April Elliot, (Commissioner Representative)
Ross County: Melody Young, (Ross Chillicothe Convention& Visitor's Bureau); Mike Lafreniere, (Ohio University Chillicothe); Ty McBee, (Chillicothe-Ross Trail Partnership); Dwight Garrett, (Commissioner Representative)
Scioto County: Nathan Welch, (Commissioner Representative)
Vinton County: Terri Fetherolf, (Vinton County Development Department); Brandi Betts, Caleb Appleman, (Vinton County Park District); William W. Wellman, (Commissioner Representative)
Washington County: Deana Clark, (Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau); Rob Grant, (Washington County Grants); Charlie Schilling, (Commissioner Representative)
Past Committee Members: Andrew Bashaw, (Buckeye Trail Association); Brian Blaire, (The Athens Conservancy); Meredith Erlewine, (Athens-City County Health Department); Mollie Fitzgerald, (Athens County Economic Development Council); Tara Gilts, (Ohio Health); Paul Logue, (City of Athens); Bruce Martin (Department of Recreation, Sport Pedagogy and Consumer Sciences, OHIO); Dawn McCarthy, (Wayne National Forest); Mary Nally, (Center for Community Engagement, OHIO); Michelle Oestrike, (Jackie O's); Debbie Phillips, (Rural Action); Kerry Pigman (Athens County Foundation); Jason Reed, (Wayne National Forest); Allison Ricket, (Voinovich School of Public Affairs, OHIO); Nick Tepe, (Athens County Public Libraries); Boone Troyer, (Visit Athens Ohio); Dani Underhill, (Athens County Foundation); Howard T. Wesler, (Climb Athens); Bob West, (Athens Bicycle Club)
