West Virginia Wesleyan College has appointed two new members of the board of trustees during Founders Day, each with significant experience in health care and public affairs and marketing.
Trish Collett, CEO of Community Care of West Virginia, and Tadd Rupp, have been appointed to five-year terms ending in 2030.
Collett is a lifelong West Virginian and holds a Bachelor of Medical Science degree from Alderson Broaddus University and completed the WVU Health Care MBA Essentials Program in 2006. She began her career with Community Care in 2000 as a physician assistant at the Rock Cave Clinic and was named Director of Medical Services in 2008. Prior to being appointed CEO, she served as Chief Operations Officer and Deputy Chief Executive Officer.
Collett has played a key role in expanding access to care and developing health care workforce pipelines across the state. In collaboration with West Virginia Wesleyan College leadership, she was instrumental in securing $1.2 million from Aetna Better Health to launch a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. She has also helped secure $129,000 in funding for the college’s Physician Assistant Program. Under Collett’s leadership, Community Care of West Virginia continues to partner with WVWC to support these initiatives and recruit graduates from the inaugural cohorts. Collett lives in Elkins with her husband and enjoys spending time with her four daughters and grandchildren.
Rupp is a partner at Targeted Victory, a leading political marketing and public affairs firm based in Arlington, Virginia. For the last 12 years, Tad has directed digital and voter contract campaigns for U.S. Senate, Congressional and independent expenditure efforts nationwide and spearheaded advocacy initiatives for corporate and nonprofit clients.
Prior to joining Targeted Victory, Tad served in the Capitol Hill offices of Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito (WV-02) and Congressman Dan Benishek (MI-01) and a staffer on the Romney-Ryan Presidential campaign.
Tadd is the son of Dr. Robert and the late Dr. Lynn Rupp, who were professors at WVWC. He graduated from Allegheny College with a Bachelor of Arts in History and was a recipient of the American Association of Political Consultants “40 Under 40” award. Tad currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife, Jenna and their two sons.
Also serving as ex-officio members and inducted during Founders Day were Brayton Boggs’ 27, Student Senate President; Nancy Oswald, staff chair; and Ashley Lawson, faculty chair.
The new members join the existing board: Kevin W. Spear ’76, chair; John F. Allevato ’76, Brian T. Brouillette ’82, Rev. Dr. Ellis E. Conley ’73, William R. Fahrner ’96, Jason S. Fiegel ’00, Sam Fox II ’86, Arria M. Foster Hines ’95, Dr. Danette I. Johnson ’99, Dr. Alan Letton, Rev. Martha Sherwood Ognibene ’79, Justin M. Raber ’08, Stephen Ranjan ’01, Angel I. Rogers, Rev. Amy Mock Shanholtzer ’87, Craig D. Welsh ’93, Curtis L. Wilkerson Jr. ’99, Jamion A. Wolford ’08, and David A. Young ’87.
