Chesla Ruby

Chelsea Ruby was appointed Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Tourism by Governor Jim Justice in March 2021. Prior to this appointment, Ruby served as tourism commissioner for four years.  

As Secretary, Ruby leads efforts to unify and promote the state’s Almost Heaven brand, advance tourism development and promote the Mountain State to a broader audience, featuring West Virginia as a year-round travel destination to both national and international travelers.  

Previously, Ruby served as director of marketing and communications for the West Virginia Department of Commerce. She also was a member of then-Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s communications staff and served as executive director of West Virginia’s acclaimed 150th birthday celebration.  

In 2021, Ruby was named a Young Gun by West Virginia Executive Magazine. She was named Young Practitioner of the Year by the West Virginia Public Relations Society of America in 2014, as well as being recognized as one of West Virginia’s 40 top young professionals by Generation Next in 2015.  

Secretary Ruby currently serves on the board of directors for Travel South USA, the official regional destination marketing organization for the southern United States. She is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and lives in Charleston, West Virginia, with her husband Steve, and their children.