Board of Directors:
Executive Committee:
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Walter J. Stewart Co-Chair
Ray Smock Co-Chair Erik Fatemi Vice Chair |
Karen Rice Treasurer
Secretary open |
Board Members:
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Marianne Alexander
Mary Anne Clarkson Dionne M. Davies Patrick J. Griffin |
Hon. Alan B. Mollohan
Donald A. Ritchie Barbara Videnieks |
Emeritus Board:
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Richard A. Baker
Anne Barth |
Ned Rose
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Our Staff:
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Zach Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in Legislative Affairs from the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management and earned his B.A. in History and Political Science, Magna Cum Laude, from Monmouth University in 2023. He specializes in the study of the United States Congress, its governing rules, and its historical development.
Prior to joining the Byrd Center, Zach served as a community organizer and registered lobbyist with the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, where he led efforts to advance good government reform. Through his work with the League and several community-based nonprofits, he has gained extensive experience in teaching civics education, providing voter services, and building grassroots coalitions. With experience in both houses of the United States Congress and the New Jersey State Legislature, Zach played a key role in leading the campaign to pass the New Jersey Legislative Youth Council Act. He is the co-founder and former state political director of March for Our Lives New Jersey, where his leadership on landmark gun safety legislation earned him a signing pen from the Governor of New Jersey. In recognition of his contributions to civic engagement at the local, state, and national levels, Zach was awarded the 2024 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award by the National Association of Secretaries of State and has been recognized for seven consecutive years by Insider NJ as one of the most effective young political leaders of his generation. |
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Melanie Garvey holds an M.A. in History from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and a B.A. in History from Shepherd University, and has over a decade of experience in the museum field. Before joining the staff of the Byrd Center, she was the Archivist and Historian for the Clarke County Historical Association in Berryville, Virginia, where she researched and wrote Reconstruction in Clarke: Proceedings XXXV as part of their ongoing annual publication series. Melanie is also an adjunct professor of history at Shepherd University, where she has taught classes on archiving principles and Atlantic history.
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Ray Smock was the first official Historian of the U.S. House of Representatives. He served on the national Bicentennial Commission of the Constitution and later worked closely with Senator Byrd to launch the Robert C. Byrd Center at Shepherd University, where he was the founding director. Under his long leadership, the Byrd Center grew into a nationally recognized hub for congressional history and public scholarship. Smock has been named Director Emeritus of the Center.
Earlier in his career, Smock co-edited the 14-volume Booker T. Washington Papers. He also served as a professional consultant in the creation of the National Constitution Center and is widely regarded for his deep institutional knowledge of Congress. |
