304-293-9859 Jessica.Stidham@mail.wvu.edu Chestnut Ridge Research Building P.O. Box 6229 886 Chestnut Ridge Road, Ste. 309 Morgantown, WV 26506-6229
Program Director
Expertise
Jess Stidham serves as the program director for the WVU Institute for Sustainability and Energy Research (WISER), where she leads transdisciplinary initiatives focused on advancing energy and sustainability solutions in West Virginia and the Central Appalachian region. With over a decade of experience in higher education and driving initiatives at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and economic development, she brings a proven track record in strategic leadership to deliver transformative solutions for complex regional challenges.
Stidham’s role provides strategic vision and direction, aligning innovative research teams with actionable solutions to advance WISER’s mission and secure funding to generate statewide impact. Her expertise lies in building cross-sector partnerships, optimizing program workflows and managing projects, and leveraging data-driven insights to create scalable, sustainable systems and deliver measurable outcomes that align with community needs.
Prior to joining WISER, Stidham held the role of assistant director of Innovation for the Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative, where she advanced programs and initiatives that bolstered talent attraction and retention and economic development across the state. Her tenure extends to the WVU Institute for Rural and Community Health and West Virginia Area Health Education Centers (AHEC), where she led and co-founded innovative workforce development programs and contributed to securing multimillion-dollar grant funding, ensuring the long-term viability of key initiatives.
Dedicated to creating lasting impact, Stidham brings a results-oriented approach to WISER, focusing on aligning research and innovation with practical, community-focused outcomes and cross-sector partnerships to amplify impact and advance West Virginia’s energy and economic future.
Education
Stidham earned her master’s degree in corporate and organizational communication from West Virginia University and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and sociology from North Central College.