Samantha Nygaard serves as the West Virginia Program Manager, part of the Mid-Atlantic regional team. Through this role Sam is dedicated to advocating and preserving the Mountain State’s parks and public lands, including America’s newest national park, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve.

Growing up in a military family, Sam lived in the Pacific Northwest, Florida, and Japan. These experiences shaped her passion for community service and appreciation for the outdoors.

After moving to the Mountain State from Jacksonville, Florida in 2018, Sam coordinated outreach and marketing efforts and hosted curated trips to promote the state as the Destination Sales Manager for the West Virginia Tourism Office. After transitioning to nonprofit work, Sam focused on initiatives to attract and retain young folks to West Virginia through her role as Assistant Director for Generation West Virginia’s Impact Fellowship program.

Currently, Sam serves as the Community Engagement Chair on the board of Generation Charleston and remains active in her local community through volunteering. She has a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Media/Communication Studies from Florida State University and lives in West Virginia’s capital city of Charleston with her dog, Georgia.

My Favorite Parks