States Newsroom launches West Virginia Watch, hires three

States Newsroom has launched West Virginia Watch to provide free, high-quality, non-partisan reporting on the important issues affecting the Mountain State. The newsroom will be led by editor-in-chief Leann Ray (as announced in May and covered by Talking Biz News.)

Amelia Ferrell Knisely has joined as an investigative reporter. Previously, she was a reporter at West Virginia Public Broadcasting and covered poverty in West Virginia as an investigative reporter at Mountain State Spotlight. She also covered poverty for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and reported on education and children’s issues in Williamson County and Nashville for The Tennessean. She also worked as a reporter and producer at WOWK-TV Ch. 13, a CBS-affiliate in Huntington, W.V. Knisely has a B.S. from Shepherd University and a M.A. from Marshall University. Be sure to congratulate Knisely on Twitter.

Lori Kersey has joined as a reporter and deputy editor. Recently, she was a staff writer at the Charleston Gazette-Mail, where she has worked as a staff writer, reporter and editor covering health, business, city of Charleston and Kanawha County beats. She also wrote general assignment and breaking news stories, and shot and edited video and photos as needed. Kersey has a bachelor’s degree from Marshall University and a master’s degree from Morehead State University. Be sure to congratulate Kersey on Twitter.

Caity Coyne has joined as a reporter. Recently, she was a Report for America corps member covering Southern West Virginia for the Charleston Gazette-Mail. She interned at Charleston Newspapers and held the posts of staff writer, associate city editor, city editor and editor in chief at The Daily Athenaeum, West Virginia University’s student paper. She was also a finalist for the Livingston Award for National Reporting in 2019. Coyne graduated from West Virginia University. Be sure to congratulate Coyne on Twitter.