Please join us in welcoming Christa Clasgens to the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy’s team as our new membership and outreach director!

Born in Northern Virginia, Christa moved to West Virginia at 18 to reconnect with her family roots in Upshur County, where her family has lived since the 1840s. Immersed in the Appalachian landscape, she found a deep love for nature and a lasting passion for being on the water that would ultimately guide her career and advocacy work.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in business from West Virginia University. While at WVU, she began volunteering with several nonprofits, sparking a lifelong commitment to conservation and community impact. Her work has included efforts with conservation-focused organizations such as Trout Unlimited and the Mountain Watershed Association, as well as therapeutic nonprofits like The Mayfly Project and Project Healing Waters, where she formerly served as a Field support specialist, helping veterans heal through fly fishing.

In 2022, she became the first woman to own and operate a fishing guide service in Ohiopyle State Park. A year later, she became one of the only woman-owned guide services operating in Ohio, and she is one of the only female fly fishing guides in the state of West Virginia.

Through her professional work, nonprofit service, and community outreach, she’s passionate about sharing the healing power of nature and advocating for the protection of rivers, lands, and the communities that depend on them. When she’s not guiding or volunteering, you can find her fishing, snowboarding, or mountain biking through the waters and trails of Appalachia.

Whether she’s guiding on the water, leading outreach, or hitting the trails, Christa brings an inspiring energy to conservation and community work. We’re thrilled to have her on board—welcome, Christa!