ISSUED: 13 June 2025
MEDIA CONTACT: Hans Fogle
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — The Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, located on the campus of Shepherd University, has announced new leadership and staff.
Zach Dougherty has been named director of the Byrd Center.
A national leader in civic engagement, Dougherty brings extensive experience in government affairs to the Byrd Center.
He holds a Master of Arts in legislative affairs from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in history and political science from Monmouth University.
Dougherty most recently served as a registered lobbyist and community organizer for the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, where he led efforts to advance good-government reforms and built statewide coalitions focused on youth political engagement.
Dr. Ray Smock, longtime director and now director emeritus, said Dougherty is an excellent choice.
“I know that Zach Dougherty will bring talent and skill to the mission of the Byrd Center,” Smock said. “Like U.S. Senator Byrd, Zach believes that the Founders of this nation expected Congress — not the executive branch — to be the fulcrum of the federal government. And I am delighted that two Shepherd University graduates, Melanie Garvey and Patrick Fuller, have joined the staff. It is an excellent team.”
Dougherty said he recognizes the significance of his new position and is ready to move forward.
“I’m honored to build on Ray Smock’s legacy and lead the Byrd Center into its next chapter,” he said. “Our new team is committed to expanding our educational programs, deepening civic engagement, and ensuring that the history and function of Congress remain accessible to citizens.”
In addition to Dougherty, the Byrd Center is welcoming other staff members dedicated to advancing the center’s mission of offering programs and conducting research that promote a better public understanding of Congress, the Constitution, and representative democracy.
Melanie Garvey is the Byrd Center’s new archivist.
Garvey is a historian and educator with more than a decade of experience in museums.
A graduate of Shepherd University, she earned her Master of Arts in history from the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Prior to joining the Byrd Center, she served as the archivist and historian for the Clarke County Historical Association in Virginia. She also teaches history and archives courses as an adjunct at Shepherd University.
Patrick Fuller, a 2021 graduate of Shepherd University with a Bachelor of Arts in history, has joined as programs assistant.
Fuller has specialized in public history throughout his career, serving in roles with the National Park Service and the Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission.
Founded in 2002 and named in honor of U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, the longest-serving U.S. senator in American history, the Byrd Center carries out its mission through lectures, public forums, teacher institutes, film screenings, and civic education programs designed to foster a deeper appreciation of the legislative branch of government and its role in American democracy. The center also conducts research, and its extensive archive of Senator Byrd and other West Virginia members of Congress is open to scholars and members of the public.
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