Meet The Try This WV Team
Brittney Barlett (she/they)
Try This WV Executive Director
Brittney Barlett came on as Executive Director of Try This WV in September of 2020. She lives in Weston with her husband, nephew, and pack of pets, where she is active with local volunteerism. A former high-school English teacher, she is passionate about healthy-community activities and inspiring new leaders. Her favorite part of her work is watching others achieve more than they thought they could, and how those accomplishments can change the course of their lives forever. In her spare time, she can always be found doing something incredibly nerdy.
Deanna Palmer (she/her)
Executive Director, Lewis County Family Resource Network
Try This Fiscal Sponsor
Deanna signed up to coordinate the fiscal management of Try This funding, but she has been much more, a source of constant encouragement. A Weston resident and mother of two boys, she also directs the statewide alliance of FRNs and oversees 52 other programs for Lewis County that benefit low-income people.
Melissa Young (she/they)
Try This WV Programs Coordinator
Mel lives in South Charleston WV. She loves her kids, video games, and all things science fiction. She is passionate about what Try This WV does and discovering new ways to create a healthy WV.
2023-2024 AmeriCorps Members
Tanya Abbett (she/her)
Southern WV Region
Tanya is a West Virginia native who has always valued the success of local community, especially in the arts and public health. She is excited to be a part of the Try This team to encourage healthy living in the Southern WV region. Tanya is a Marshall University graduate and recently earned her master's degree in fine arts and media at West Virginia State University. In her spare time, Tanya likes to play the drums, hike in West Virginia's beautiful parks, or become completely absorbed in a good movie, book or music.
Ivana Carder (she/her)
Mid-Ohio Valley Region
Ivana lives in St Marys, WV with her dog Gizmo. While serving as an AmeriCorps, she also works at the Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg working with kids in elementary school. She likes animals, traveling, spending time with friends, and going on walks. Ivana wants to work on better helping the youth in her community through serving with Try This WV.
Rebecca Friend (she/her)
Northern Panhandle Region
Rebecca has been a lifelong resident of the Ohio Valley region and she is constantly on the lookout for ways to improve her community. Her experience has stretched across the fields of mental health, youth development, career and second-chance advocacy, resource stewardship, and various levels of fundraising throughout. Rebecca’s passions revolve around elevation; she strives to elevate the opportunities for those around her, she teaches others to elevate their expectations for themselves, and she pushes her own boundaries so that her children understand what determination and ethics can accomplish. When she isn’t in meetings, conferences, or in community service, she can be found with her family, attending her children's activities, or in the chicken coop and garden.
Sarah Hott (she/her)
Eastern WV Region
Sarah Hott lives in Augusta, in Hampshire County. She has a background in education and library services. Sarah has been a dedicated school and community volunteer for many years. She is excited to collaborate with others in the Eastern Panhandle on creative projects to promote wellness in West Virginia.
Jamie O'Hare (she/her)
Kanawha Valley Region
Meet Jamie, hobby baker, obsessive embroiderer, passionate about supporting self-advocacy and self-determination in the disability community, and committed to healthy nonprofits for strong communities. She is originally from Northern Indiana, lived in Wheeling for 13 years, and recently relocated to Charleston where her husband, Dan, is a recently graduated attorney. They have a son at Marshall, a son at WVU, and two middle school daughters. With two autistic kids, Jamie and her family emphasize the mantras of “different, not less” and “nothing about us without us!” Free Mom Hugs for all!
Chrissy Sandy (she/her)
Central WV Region