“FAIRMONT, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The Fairmont State Foundation announced Tuesday the addition of three new members to its Board of Directors.
The new board members are Christina Lavorata, Taylor Downs, and John Guido.
“We are so enthusiastic to have these highly capable and genuinely caring individuals join our board,” said Fairmont State Foundation President, Rachel Rae Dyer. “Their willingness to step up and serve at such a meaningful time in our organization’s history shows their dedication to the success of the Fairmont State Foundation as we pursue our mission to serve and support the students of Fairmont State University. We are grateful to them for taking on this important role, and we look forward to welcoming them to our Falcon Community.”
Downs, an attorney and member at Manchin Injury Law Group in Fairmont, and an attorney and member at Manchin Ferretti, PLLC in Martinsburg, boasts over 10 years of personal injury law experience.
He received his JD from West Virginia University in 2011 after earning degrees in history and political science from Shepherd University in 2008.
Downs also brings extensive experience serving on boards for professional associations and regional agencies to the table, including the American Association for Justice, the WV Association for Justice, the South Fairmont Rotary, and the Marion County Rescue Squad.
Christina Lavorata graduated from Fairmont in 1970 with a degree in elementary education. She has also earned an MA and Ed.D. from West Virginia University, and taught in Marion County Schools for over 20 years from 1971 to 1998 before joining the faculty in the Education Department at Fairmont State.
She transitioned from teaching to administrative roles in 2004, serving as associate provost at Fairmont State until 2018.
John Guido is a partner with Baker Tilly US, LLP., and has 40 years of experience in domestic and international audit, as well as accounting experience in various industries, including privately owned and publicly held business entities.
He is a leader on issues regarding federal program compliance audits performed under Uniform Guidance, audits of employee benefit plans subject to requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as well as public company audits performed under the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and regulations of the Securities Exchange Commission.
The new members were welcomed by Fairmont State Interim President, Dianna Phillips.
“The board has done such an incredible job in successfully identifying talented new members. I am looking forward to working collaboratively with them, the entire board and President Dyer over the next year,” Phillips said.
Approved by the Fairmont State Foundation Board of Directors at their annual meeting in June, the new members began their tenure as board members on July 1, 2022.
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