CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey on Thursday announced the selection of Jonathan Board as executive director of the West Virginia First Foundation—a private, nonstock, nonprofit entity created to distribute opioid abatement funds throughout the state.
“This is a major step toward healing the battered communities in this state caused by the opioid epidemic,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “I am confident that with Jonathan’s expertise and dedication to this cause, our mission to heal the wounds of the past is on solid ground as the groundwork desperately needed to facilitate the management of the state’s and political subdivisions’ nearly $1 billion in opioid settlements is starting to take shape.”
“It is such a privilege and honor to be selected not only as West Virginia First Foundation’s first executive director, but also as its first employee,” Board said. “However, this announcement has little to do with any one individual or group of people, but rather, is focused on every resident of the state—because overcoming opioid and substance dependence and abuse is the calling of our generation, and the foundation represents an answer to that call.”
Board’s background includes external and governmental affairs, programmatic management and substance use disorder (SUD) policy, financial oversight and fundraising, to name a few. He successfully navigated large-scale projects, secured substantial funding through various channels and implemented SUD mitigation and recovery initiatives.
Board has served in many capacities as executive director, CEO, director and chairman of the board of businesses and nonprofits, most recently serving as vice president of external affairs for Vandalia Health.
He graduated with a law degree from West Virginia University in 2009—he also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Fairmont State University, 2004.
The First Foundation Board consists of 11 members—six elected by each region and five appointed by the governor. Board will run the day to day operations of the foundation.
“We are eager to come alongside all of you and make a meaningful and impactful difference,” Board said. “Thanks to the amazing work of Attorney General Morrisey, his team and the numerous individuals across this state who helped make the foundation happen, we can proudly proclaim: help is on the way.
Opioid settlement funds must be put to use to abate the opioid epidemic. The Attorney General and counsel for West Virginia cities and counties worked closely to develop and adopt the West Virginia First Memorandum of Understanding which provides a mechanism to distribute opioid settlement funds and provides guidelines on how the funds may be used.
“So many precious lives have been lost and shattered by the opioid epidemic,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “Indeed this is the time to begin the healing, but by no means will we let our guard down.”
“We will continue to fight for the families affected by this epidemic and we will serve as the voices of the sons and daughters they have lost,” the Attorney General continued. “We must prevent another generation from falling prey to senseless death and the West Virginia First Foundation will be a major step forward on the path to recovery.