The six new members of the WVU Alumni Association Board of Directors are, from top left to bottom right, Steve Britt, Kristin Emery, Angela Williams, Undra Johnson, Dr. Ronald Pellegrino, and Heather Richardson. (WVU Graphic)
Six West Virginia University alumni are the newest members of the WVU Alumni Association Board of Directors following elections during the Association’s annual business meeting.
Steve Britt, Kristin Emery, Undra Johnson, Dr. Ronald Pellegrino, Heather Richardson, and Angela Williams will each serve six-year terms, which took effect in June.
Steve Britt, a native of Charleston and a two-time University graduate, is managing partner of Britt Law LLC of in Charleston, South Carolina. He practices corporate and technology law with a special focus on data privacy and artificial intelligence. He holds three international certifications in those areas, including as an Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional.
Britt served for nine years in senior federal legal and congressional positions in Washington, D.C., before launching his technology practice in Tysons Corner, Virginia, during the internet boom.
He also serves as general counsel of the National Artificial Intelligence Association, a trade association, and as a mentor at Harbor Entrepreneur Center in Charleston, one of the largest technology incubators in the Southeast. He is a frequent writer and speaker on AI laws and regulations.
Kristin Emery built a 37-year career in broadcast journalism, working as a reporter, news anchor, and meteorologist at television stations in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Florida. After graduating from WVU, she began her career in radio before moving into television and later earned a Certificate in Broadcast Meteorology and Geosciences from Mississippi State University in 2005.
A native of Washington, Pennsylvania, Emery served as a meteorologist in her hometown market at KDKA-TV/CBS Pittsburgh for the last 13 years of her television career. Her weather and reporting work has been recognized with Emmy nominations, as well as Edward R. Murrow and Associated Press awards as part of team coverage of severe weather and news events across several states.
Emery is a fellow of the RIAS Berlin Commission, which works to foster transatlantic relations and studies between journalists in Germany and the United States. Her work with RIAS has taken her overseas to report on Germany’s reunification, the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift, and the formation of the European Union. In 2013, she branched into print journalism as a contributing writer for Observer Publishing in Washington, Pennsylvania. She also continues to write a biweekly column, health and medical articles, as well as travel and feature stories for print and digital platforms.
Undra Johnson is a market director at UBS and a veteran financial services executive with over 30 years of experience in wealth management, business development, and strategic leadership. Before joining UBS, he held leadership and advisory roles at Wells Fargo and Merrill Lynch, where he specialized in building high-performing teams and guiding high-net-worth families through complex financial landscapes.
A former NFL athlete and WVU football standout, Undra seamlessly translates the elite discipline, strategy, and resilience of professional sports into the wealth management sector. He is recognized for a team-first leadership style built on the core principles of absolute integrity, accountability, and execution.
Dr. Ronald Pellegrino is a two-time WVU graduate. He currently serves as the WVU Medicine-WVU Hospitals chief clinical operations officer and associate dean for clinical affairs in the WVU School of Medicine.
Since joining the faculty in 2004 as an internal medicine physician, Dr. Pellegrino has served the institution in various roles, including chief operating officer and associate chief medical officer for ambulatory services. Each role shared an overall goal of expanding access to patient-centered care for the patients in this region.
Dr. Pellegrino is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, and his clinical interests are preventive medicine and pharmacotherapeutics.
Heather Richardson is a three-time WVU graduate and vice president for WVU Strategic Communications and Marketing, where she leads marketing, communications, brand, storytelling, and public affairs efforts to elevate the University’s reach and reputation in alignment with the vision of President Michael T. Benson.
Richardson has invested the last decade of her career telling the story of the University that helped shape her own. Before bringing a new vision to Strategic Communications and Marketing and overseeing a successful brand refresh, she served for six years as assistant dean for Strategic Communications in the WVU John Chambers College of Business and Economics, working with her team to build momentum with alumni and students for Reynolds Hall, the new learning complex for the WVU business school that opened in 2022.
Prior to returning to her alma mater in 2015, Richardson spent five years in the private sector at a public relations agency specializing in community engagement, crisis communications, and strategic communications for Fortune 500 industrial clients. She also served as a correspondent for West Virginia’s weekly business journal.
Angela Williams has more than 20 years of experience at a Fortune 500 financial institution, leading enterprise-wide initiatives that have generated millions of dollars in operational savings while driving technology, operational excellence, and organizational transformation.
A two-time WVU graduate, Williams is the founder and chief experience strategist of Emendus Consulting Group LLC, where she partners with organizations to intentionally design the experiences that develop stronger leaders, foster engaged employees, accelerate successful AI adoption, cultivate healthy cultures, and drive sustainable business performance.
In 2025, Williams received the David W. Jacobs Lifetime Service Award in recognition of her exceptional commitment and leadership in strengthening the WVU Alumni community.
“We are excited to welcome these accomplished alumni leaders to the WVU Alumni Association Board of Directors,” said Kevin Berry, vice president of Alumni Relations and CEO of the WVU Alumni Association. “Each brings valuable perspective, professional experience, and a deep commitment to serving WVU. Their leadership will help us continue strengthening connections across our alumni community and advancing the mission of the Alumni Association.”
During the annual business meeting, new members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors Executive Committee were elected to serve one-year terms. Sharon Flanery of Pinch will serve as chair. Additionally, Gabrielle St. Léger of Philadelphia will serve as vice chair; Kevin Ellis from Isle of Palms, South Carolina, as secretary; Kamau Brown of New York City, as treasurer; Anthony Webster from Harmony, Pennsylvania, as at-large; and Zach Mendelson of Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania, as past chair.
“I’m honored to step into this role as the WVU Alumni Association continues to build meaningful momentum with alumni,” said newly elected chair Sharon Flanery. “The Board of Directors has an important responsibility to help carry forward the pride, loyalty, and sense of belonging that connect Mountaineers across generations. As chair, I look forward to working alongside our board, alumni leaders, and the Alumni Association team to build on that momentum, strengthen the alumni experience, and ensure every graduate knows they have a place in the WVU family.”
The WVU Alumni Association was organized in 1873 and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization in 1977. It is the oldest University affiliate serving its largest constituency.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Kallie Nealis
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kpnealis@mail.wvu.edu
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