February 9, 2022
Morgantown, WV – Your Community Foundation of North Central West Virginia, Inc. (YCF) is pleased to announce four new members of the Board of Directors: Anthony Bellotte (Harrison County), Kim Dobrzynski (Preston County), Joi Gilliam-Norris (Harrison County), and Rachel Wood (Monongalia County).
Bellotte is a lifelong resident of Clarksburg. He retired in July 2019 with over 45 years of experience with the City of Clarksburg, serving as the Assistant City Manager from 2014 – 2019. He is a member of St. James Roman Catholic Church in the North View section of Clarksburg where he has been an usher for the last 23 years. Bellotte is a member of the Sons of Italy, William Marconi Lodge, and a Third-Degree Knights of Columbus member. He has served on the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival Board of Directors and the Harrison County Cultural Foundation. Bellotte is also a past member of the capital campaign committee for the Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center in Clarksburg.
Dobrzynski is the Director of Marketing for Clear Mountain Bank. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and English from Alliance College. A native of New Jersey, she relocated to Preston County in 2017 to be closer to family. Prior to leaving New Jersey, she served as director of marketing for a staffing company for 17 years and served on the marketing committee for the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey and the Marketing Mastermind Committee for the Affiliated Staffing Group. Since 2019, she has been a member of YCF’s marketing committee, of which she is currently chair. She also currently serves on the Board of Directors for WV Women Work.
Gilliam-Norris is the Supervisor of Dispatch for Dominion Energy West Virginia (DEWV), formerly known as Hope Gas. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Christian Ministry from Mid-America Christian University and is currently working toward a PhD in Theology at Shalom Bible College and Seminary. Her career with Dominion Energy began in 1992 with East Ohio Gas in Akron. In 2010, Gilliam-Norris accepted a promotion and relocated to West Virginia. She joined the Board of Directors for the United Way of Harrison and Doddridge Counties in 2014, serving on several committees and as the Campaign Chair in 2021 and 2022.
Wood is a Financial Planner with Virtus Wealth Solutions. She graduated from West Virginia University with a bachelor of science degree and began her career with MetLife Resources in 1997. Wood is a member of Chestnut Ridge Church, West Virginia Botanical Society, the Humane Society, Friends of the Arts, and the Women’s Giving Circle of North Central West Virginia, of which she is a founding member. She has served on YCF’s investment committee since 2017. Prompted by her son’s dyslexia diagnosis and the lack of resources available to help those with dyslexia, Wood and her husband Todd established the nonprofit, Bonnie Bailey Dyslexia Awareness, Inc., and the Bonnie Bailey Dyslexia Advocacy Fund at YCF.
Returning board members include Chair Martin Howe (Harrison County), Vice Chair Josh Rogers (Monongalia County), Treasurer Nathan White (Monongalia County), Secretary Perri Jo DeChristopher (Monongalia County), Allen Staggers (Marion County), Jenny Weaver (Taylor County), and Emeritus Member Billy Coffindaffer (Monongalia County).
“It’s an honor to, once again, serve as YCF’s Board Chair,” said Howe. “We welcome our newest board members, who bring a wealth of knowledge and care deeply about the communities we serve. Together, our tremendous board and dedicated staff look forward to continuing our work to enhance the quality of life for residents of North Central West Virginia.”
Established in 2011, YCF’s mission is to promote philanthropy and build endowment funds to benefit our communities. YCF supports people, programs and projects in North Central West Virginia through grants and scholarships made possible with charitable donations. The Double Your Impact Challenge is YCF’s current $1 Million campaign to grow the YCF IMPACT Fund and Addiction Prevention Initiative Fund. Donations are matched dollar-for-dollar through December 2022, or until fundraising goals are met. For more information please call (304) 296-3433 or visit YCF’s website at: http://www.localhost:10093.
