Several West Virginia University faculty members will be available to offer reaction and expert commentary to the media tonight (Oct. 4) and in the coming days following the 2016 West Virginia Gubernatorial Debate between Democrat Jim Justice and Republican Bill Cole.

WVU faculty who can dissect the debate and offer analysis include:

Economy and community development:
John Deskins is director of the WVU Bureau of Business and Economic Research and an associate professor in the College of Business and Economics. He can be reached at 304.293.7876 or John.Deskins@mail.wvu.edu.

Brian Lego is a research assistant professor and economic forecaster for BBER and can offer analysis on a wide range of economic situations. He can be reached at 304.293.7829 or Brian.Lego@mail.wvu.edu.

Heather Stephens, an assistant professor of resource economics and management, can discuss energy and regional economics. She can be reached at 304.293.5639 or heather.stephens@mail.wvu.edu.

Rob Alsop is WVU’s vice president for legal and governmental affairs and entrepreneurial engagement. He can be reached at 304.293.5772 or rob.alsop@mail.wvu.edu.

Steve Cutright is the director of WVU’s Brickstreet Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The Center’s priorities include promoting entrepreneurial education, community engagement and economic development in West Virginia. He can be reached at 304.293.7221 or steven.cutright@mail.wvu.edu.

“Rochelle “Rocky S. Goodwin is senior associate vice president for academic and public strategy in WVU’s John D. Rockefeller IV School of Policy and Politics and works closely with the University’s Center for Big Ideas. The Center’s priorities include promoting entrepreneurial education, community engagement and economic development in West Virginia. Goodwin can be reached at 304.400.4963 or ragoodwin@mail.wvu.edu.

Budget:
Karen Kunz, an associate professor in the Department of Public Administration, specializes in public budgeting and fiscal policy, and financial markets regulation. She is also on the board of directors for the American Association of Budget and Program Analysts (aapba.org). She can be reached at Karen.Kunz@mail.wvu.edu.

Energy:
Brian Anderson is the director of WVU’s Energy Institute and the GE Plastics Material Engineering Professor of Chemical Engineering. He can be reached at 304.293.6631 or Brian.Anderson@mail.wvu.edu.

Timothy Carr, WVU’s Marshall Miller professor of Geology, teaches shale-gas and oil short courses internationally and works with the U.S. Department of State to assist countries in developing the expertise to establish and regulate unconventional resources. He can be reached at Tim.Carr@mail.wvu.edu.

James Van Nostrand is director of the Center for Energy and Sustainable Development and associate professor of law. He can be reached at 304.293.4694 or James.Vannostrand@mail.wvu.edu.

Education:
Gypsy Denzine, dean of the College of Education and Human Service, is a professor of educational psychology and conducts research in the area of college student development, learning and motivation. She can be reached at Gypsy.Denzine@mail.wvu.edu.

Health:
Carl Sullivan is a professor and vice chair in the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry at the WVU School of Medicine. He serves as medical director of Substance Abuse Programs for WVU Medicine. In addition, Sullivan has served as director of the West Virginia Addiction Training Institute for 25 years. He has testified before the House of Representatives Appropriations Sub-Committee on prescription opioid abuse in Appalachia. (Media requests should be directed to Angela Jones-Knopf at knopfa@wvumedicine.org.)

Vice President and Executive Dean of Health Sciences Clay Marsh, M.D. leads the academic health sciences center of West Virginia University – including five schools – dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and public health – and numerous allied health programs and clinical operations around the state. A national leader in personalized medicine and in pulmonary and critical care medicine, Marsh has concentrated his efforts in determining how to help individuals stay healthy and how to create ecosystems to make this easy. (Media requests should be directed to Bill Case at bill.case@hsc.wvu.edu.)

West Virginia University experts can provide commentary, insights and opinions on various news topics. Search for an expert by name, title, area of expertise, or college/school/department in the Experts Database at WVU Today.

-WVU-

ak/10/04/16

CONTACT: University Relations/Communications
304.293.6997

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