West Virginia University Extension is excited to welcome assistant professor Caroline Bailey as the new Family and Community Development agent for Pleasants County.
A native of Pleasants County, Bailey is excited to return to her roots and serve the county and state that shaped her. She also is no stranger to WVU Extension, having previously served as a WVU Extension 4-H volunteer for 14 years.
Bailey earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and international studies at WVU and her master’s degree in international development studies from George Washington University. She has more than 12 years of experience in researching, designing and implementing community and positive youth development programs in 20 countries.
“I’ve always been motivated by mission-driven work, which is why my entire career has been in nonprofits,” Bailey said. “Growing up in the 4-H program from the age of 8, I was exposed to WVU Extension’s mission and work from a young age and know first-hand its power to transform communities and individual lives.”
Dedicated to service, Bailey brings numerous accolades to this position. She was recognized by ACDI/VOCA — a global nonprofit that implements economic and social development projects — with the Spirt of Volunteerism Award for dedicating 164 hours of support to youth development and local feeding programs. She also received Presidential Awards from ACDI/VOCA for her social impact expertise, technical excellence and leadership in developing a $35 million youth-focused grant proposal.
“I supported projects in countries such as Serbia, Tanzania, the Philippines and Tajikistan to create thousands of youth centered jobs and leverage millions in private sector investment,” Bailey added.
Though Bailey loved and is proud of her work globally, she is excited to bring her expertise back to Pleasants County and connect with the community.
“I’m really excited to connect with all the wonderful community partners we have here, as well as the youth and families in the county,” Bailey said. “The priority is really engaging with the Pleasants County community to understand their needs, and the rest of the priorities will flow from there. My personal goal is to listen and learn both from the community as well as from my colleagues within WVU Extension so I can provide the best service possible.”
Constantly inspired by West Virginian’s resilience, innovation and community spirit, Bailey believes that West Virginia has the people and values to propel the state forward.
“I’m excited to add connections and resources to support that growth. I’ve always believed that young people are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but today, and I’m excited to support their increased engagement and growth,” Bailey said. “I believe I can contribute to ensuring our programming here in Pleasants County and statewide improves the lives and livelihoods of all West Virginians. I will continue to combine engagement of local communities with evidence-based programming to achieve that impact.”
Tony Michael, WVU Extension Family and Community Development director, is excited to have Bailey leading this important programming for Pleasants County.
“We are excited to have assistant professor Caroline Bailey join WVU Extension as the Family and Community Development agent in Pleasants County. Caroline’s tremendous background and experience uniquely positioned her to lead our programming, and we are happy for the opportunity to bring a community native home,” Michael said.
If you want to learn more about WVU Extension, visit extension.wvu.edu or follow @WVUExtension on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.
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an/2/19/2026
MEDIA CONTACT: Aden Nickerson
Communications Specialist
WVU Division for Land-Grant Engagement
304-293-7606;
aden.nickerson@mail.wvu.edu