CHARLESTON — Governor Patrick Morrisey announced cabinet secretaries today for the Departments of Commerce, Transportation, Tourism, and Health, and deputy secretaries for the Department of Commerce and Transportation.
The Governor also has announced his intention to work with the legislature to enact statutes to consolidate the existing Department of Economic Development with the Department of Commerce and to consolidate the existing Department of Arts, Culture, and History with the Department of Tourism.
These consolidations are an initial step toward making state government more efficient and effective. The announcement is being made at a press conference on Thursday and follows a series of executive orders signed earlier this week.
The announcement includes the following cabinet appointments:
- Dr. Matthew Herridge — Secretary of Commerce
- Nicholas Preservati — Deputy Secretary of Commerce
- Chelsea Ruby — Reappointment as Secretary of Tourism
- Stephen Todd Rumbaugh — Secretary of Transportation and Commissioner of Highways
- Michael DeMers — Deputy Secretary of Transportation
- Dr. Arvin Singh — Secretary of Health
Brief bios of these cabinet appointees can be found below:
Dr. Matthew Herridge — Secretary of Commerce
Dr. Matthew Herridge is a business owner and currently serves as the WV GOP Chairman. After entering the business world in 2005 following a 10-year career in Clinical Psychology at the Charleston Area Medical Center and as a member of the WVU School of Medicine clinical faculty, he grew a family restaurant portfolio as well as a software development company creating solutions for the restaurant industry. Matthew currently lives in West Virginia and has been a lifelong resident of the state.
Nicholas Preservati — Deputy Secretary of Commerce
Nick Preservati currently serves as the Director of the West Virginia Office of Energy, Acting Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Commerce, and Chairman of the West Virginia Public Energy Authority. With 30 years of experience in energy law, Nick has held senior legal roles at renowned law firms, American Electric Power, and multiple other energy companies. His expertise in both legal and energy sectors has allowed Nick to drive significant contributions to energy policy, business development, and regulatory initiatives.
Chelsea Ruby — Secretary of Tourism
Chelsea is being reappointed as the Secretary of West Virginia’s Department of Tourism and has led West Virginia’s Department of Tourism for the past eight years. In that role, she has overseen the state’s branding and marketing program and its efforts to attract and expand tourism businesses. Prior to that, she was Director of Marketing and Communications for the state Department of Commerce. Chelsea lives in Charleston with her husband and three children.
Stephen Todd Rumbaugh — Secretary of Transportation and Commissioner of Highways
Stephen Todd Rumbaugh has over 30+ years of service for the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) – Division of Highways. His career has covered an array of positions, including Construction Inspector, Designer, Area Supervisor, Staff Engineer, Regional Construction Engineer, Director of Contract Administration, and Chief Engineer of Construction. He has been involved in overseeing the largest highway program in many years and looks forward to the challenges involved in the oversight of the WVDOT as Secretary. He resides with his family in Eastern Kanawha County, where he was born and raised.
Michael DeMers — Deputy Secretary of Transportation
Michael DeMers joins the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) with over 17 years of experience managing transportation programs both as a State Department of Transportation leader and as a consultant to State DOT and private sector corporations. At the Missouri DOT, Michael served as a member of the statewide executive management team under Director Patrick McKenna. Prior public service also includes service in the Multimodal Planning Division of Arizona DOT. Michael earned a Master of Urban Planning degree from Harvard University in 2011 and a bachelor’s degree from Tufts University in 2006.
Dr. Arvin Singh — Secretary of Health
Arvin Singh, EdD, MBA, MPH, MS, FACHE, brings extensive expertise in healthcare leadership, strategy, and acute/behavioral/ambulatory care. With prior roles including Vice President of Strategy and Communications for the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health and Chief Operating Officer for a Louisiana behavioral health network/FQHC, as well as internships at the U.S. House of Representatives, Executive Office of the President, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, he combines a deep understanding of healthcare operations with insights into federal policy. His diverse leadership background, advanced education, and transformative contributions to healthcare systems uniquely position him to advance West Virginia’s health initiatives effectively. Dr. Singh holds Masters degrees from Brown University in Health Care Leadership, Penn State in Business Administration, and George Washington University in Public Health.
