Advancing our mission of youth retention through educational, economic, and community building opportunities in the Upper Ohio Valley.

🎯 Professional/Personal Development
🎯 Civic Engagement
🎯 Fun

MISSION

We are an independent, non-profit focusing on youth retention by bringing local youth, seasoned entrepreneurs, professionals, policy makers, and directors of commerce together to create space for our young people within the community.

VISION

Why Don’t You Stay Awhile creates the space for impactful and mutually beneficial relationships within our community to blossom; thus creating economic impact, the dreams of our youth to be actualized within the Upper Ohio Valley, and ultimately a reversal of our declining population.

Feeling inspired?
Join us!

become a member - become a partner - become a donor

BECOME A MEMBER

THIS IS COMMUNITY BY US AND FOR US.

✨ BECOME A MEMBER ✨

👥 WHAT YOU’RE GETTING

🔌 Monthly Meetups

Evening Buzz

Forge connections with other young people in a social setting to further your network, capitalize on opportunities, and make genuine personal connections. We also highlight a local young professional each month for a chance to learn from them and enhance ourselves.

***Prospective members are always welcome.

Access to Our Member Directory

Two Season Passes to the ‘25-’26 Wheeling Symphony Orchestra

Campus Touchdown

Bridge the gap by sharing our community with our collegiate students

📌 Quarterly Functions

Four Free Workshops (for members) Per Year

(non-members are always invited to attend!)

Masterclasses taught by professionals within their field ranging from sales, interviewing, resume building, business card creation, natal chart readings, website building, government filings + tax preparation, professional engagement, with more being planned.

09/17 5:30PM preceding EveningBuzz
@ Waterfront Hall, Wheeling, WV 26003
$50 per workshop, unless you’re a member

🖇️ How to Join

Standard Membership is twelve months.

🫡 Member Expectations

Engage as much as possible, especially through event attendance. You extract as much as you give.
Volunteer for at least two to three events per year.
Be Passionate to learn, grow, experience, share your gifts, and create a vibrant community for us to play, live + work.

upcoming events upcoming events upcoming events upcoming events upcoming events upcoming events

08/20 The ECO Center
09/17 @ Waterfront Hall
10/15 @ Belmont County Heritage Museum
11/?? @ ??
12/17 @ Waterfront Hall

members + college students free
non-members $10 per event
6:30-7:30PM

07/16 @ Kismet, The Salon Syndicate

06/11 @ Waterfront Hall

04/16 @ Waterfront Hall

03/19 @ Challenger Center

02/19 @ Kirke’s Ice Cream

01/22 @ Attention to Detail

12/18 @ Waterfront Hall

11/13 @ Leva’s Jewelry

10/24 @ Stages

09/24 @ Outdated Threads

photos by Katie Bizanovich

past events past events past events past events past events past events

civic work

BECOME A PARTNER

SupportOur mission through monetary donations.
ChampionYoung professionals and their desire to connect, grow, and engage with our community.
Enhance The Upper Ohio Valley’s culture and economy.

Corporate partnerships

Let’s collaborate to put your community commitments to work within the Ohio Valley

Official membership sponsor

Sponsor four young professionals within your organization to become WDYSA members

Board of Directors

Spencer Porter
founder + chair of the board

A native of the Ohio Valley, with pockets of time spent living in Europe, the US west coast, and the Hawaiian Islands, Spencer is so happy to be back home as the owner of a boutique media business publishing St. Clairsville Living and Wheeling Neighbors magazines for the local communities.

As a past bikini brand founder + designer, she’s had her pieces adorned by singer Halsey, models Candice Swanepoel, and Gigi Hadid on the pages of Sports Illustrated, Vogue, and Harper’s Bazaar through savvy media strategies and intentional relationship building.

Fueled by possibility and the desire to connect people, Spencer offers a unique perspective on how shaping our communities through a collective and tactically creative approach can yield results we never thought possible.

Timothy Judkins
treasurer

With five years of dedicated experience in the real estate industry, including three years as a Marketing Director, Timothy Judkins brings a wealth of expertise in digital content development. His background includes over six years as a Creative Director for a multimedia production company in Los Angeles and Atlanta.

Driven by a passion for turning ideas into reality, Timothy is committed to using his skills to make a meaningful impact and advance the mission of WDYSA.

Vincent DeGeorge, PhD
secretary

A lifelong West Virginian, scientist, writer, and community advocate. From Morgantown, WV Vincent earned his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. Published on the front page of the Sunday New York Times, in Wheeling, WV DeGeorge pivoted to nonprofit grant writing and community projects where he has brought over $4 million into the Valley for local food systems, environmental issues, and community building. Vincent's work and service has included the House of Hagar, the Wheeling Human Rights Commission, Generation WV, the WALS Foundation, and Why Don't You Stay a While.

Megan Murphy

This Wheeling native is a dedicated registered nurse with over a decade in providing exceptional care to the Ohio Valley community. Throughout her nursing career she has gained expertise in various settings, including travel nursing.

Currently serving as the Safety and Education Coordinator at Good Shepherd nursing home, Megan is focused on building the education department to enhance the quality of care and support for both staff and residents.

Beyond her professional life, Megan is a devoted mother to her 14 year old daughter, Ava. Together they embrace the joys of living in Wheeling, creating lasting memories and fostering a nurturing environment, aligning with the mission of WDYSA.

Kara Erwin
As the Regional Director for The Arc of Ohio’s eastern region, a national civil rights grassroots organization that advocates for people intellectual and developmental disabilities Kara is an Ohio Valley resident. Kara moved to Ohio from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania in 2006 and worked as a therapeutic provider for kids with autism and Union Local and Saint Clairsville schools where she honed the art of Applied Behavior Analysis. Through her current career, she networks with multiple counties in the valley freqently working with doctors, legislators, grant writers, school districts, first responders, and mental health/medical facilities in order to connect people in our community with the most helpful resources.

Kara created the annual community event, Everyone’s Got Talent. This inclusion event highlights all abilities on stage. This experience has grown into a carnival with hometown heros and local social services on site.

Nic Provenzano
An Ohio Valley resident and owner of thrift shop, Outdated Threads, in Wheeling’s Centre Market. Nic believes in the importance of fostering community by frequently hosting local artists and bands to further the local arts culture.

Vondel Bell
An East Wheeling native and former football star at Wheeling Park High School and California University of Pennsylvania, is a mural, portrait and graphic artist.

He’s created more than 500 different pieces of art including large murals that adorn the hallways of Bridge Street Middle School, Wheeling Park High School, West Liberty University, local hospitals and more! His portraits often depict sports, music, historical and social justice icons.

Troy Zimmerman
BA Studio Fine Art Graduate from West Liberty University. Signed commercial model and scout for U Model Management in New York City. Founder of Ego Sum clothing company.

Focused on growing personal creative ventures and expanding the opportunities of creatives in his hometown of Wheeling, West Virginia and the surrounding areas.

Rosemary Ketchum

Executive Director of the West Virginia Nonprofit Association advocating for nonprofits at the state and local levels. As a former mental health professional and City Councilor, Rosemary has worked closely on issues related to housing, small business, homelessness, and urban development. In 2023, Rosemary was named Appalachian Statesperson of the Year and has been a returning guest on MSNBC including profiles on The Today Show, Time Magazine, and CNN for her work in community organizing and politics.

Andrew Lewis
With nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, he has worked at three local institutions, making significant contributions to student success and academic support. Originally from Shadyside, Ohio, Andrew now resides in Wintersville, Ohio. A proud alumnus of West Liberty University, he holds a Master’s degree in Education and is dedicated to fostering inclusive and supportive learning environments. Passionate about advocacy, Andrew is committed to supporting students who haven't yet found their voice. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his husband and three dogs, as well as hanging out with friends and family.

Jack Fisher

An Ohio Valley native hailing from Martin’s Ferry. After graduating in 2009, he completed college at WVU and West Liberty where his focus was music education and psychology. He went on to grad school at Kent State where he earned his masters in education. As the current high school principal at Bridgeport Schools, he lives in the district with my wife, Rebecca, and our two young children, Jacob and Riley. His hobbies include carpentry, building, and anything that involves house renovations. Jack is dedicated to his community, and especially our youngest members hence his deep involvement in youth retention in the Ohio Valley.

Taylor Mick, Esq.

As an Ohio Valley native and 2016 graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Law, her legal career began at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania. After practicing civil rights, family, and criminal law in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Columbus, Taylor is excited to finally return to the Ohio Valley and open her own law firm in St. Clairsville, OH. While pursuing a career rooted in service, she hopes to inspire local youth to do the same. In her free time, Taylor enjoys traveling, reading, and gardening. She’s also never met a stray animal she didn’t try to rescue.

Hilary Kinney
A fifth-generation West Virginian and proud Marshall County native, Hilary has spent her career supporting young people to drive civic change and working for future-facing political leaders. She was Deputy National Press Secretary for Andrew Yang’s 2020 presidential campaign, launched and led WVU Students for Bernie in 2015, and is now the Director of Community at Civics Unplugged, a nonprofit operating tuition-free programs for high schoolers to gain the skills, mentorship, and community necessary to make lasting, innovative local change.

PRESS

09/16/24 NEWS 9

09/25/24 NEWS 9
10/03/24 NEWS 9

10/03/24 NEWS 7

10/19/24 THE TIMES LEADER
10/21/24 THE INTELLIGENCER
11/12/24 NEWS 9
11/13/24 THE TIMES LEADER
02/19/25 NEWS 9
02/22/25 THE TIMES LEADER
04/15/25 NEWS 7
04/16/25 NEWS 9
04/16/25 NEWS 7

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