ISSUED: 12 December 2025
MEDIA CONTACT: Hans Fogle
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV —
On Dec. 9, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced that Bernard Lee Snyder and Lara Omps-Botteicher have been appointed to the Shepherd University Board of Governors.
They will replace outgoing board members David Avella and Karl Wolf.
Snyder earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from Shepherd University in 1971. He also earned a Master of Business Administration from Shepherd in 2014 and remains deeply involved with the University, having served the local community and campus.
“I am honored to have been appointed by Governor Morrisey to serve on the Shepherd University Board of Governors,” Snyder said. “I am committed to helping guide the University’s future by supporting high-quality education that prepares Shepherd graduates for productive careers that make meaningful contributions to West Virginia and the nation.”
Snyder has been CEO of Snyder Environmental Services Inc. since 1979 and is also president of Jefferson Utilities and Oak Meadow LLC.
His experience includes utility construction contracting, engineering, subdivision planning and building, landfill permitting, solid waste engineering and construction, land acquisition, and permitting and regulatory issues.
Omps-Botteicher is an assistant attorney general for the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office, focusing on substance abuse initiatives. As a lifelong Eastern Panhandle resident, she has deep roots at Shepherd.
“My family, friends, colleagues, and mentees have all benefited from its programs, and I have had the privilege of supporting its students through internships, externships, and academic initiatives,” she said. “Shepherd University is a true pillar of our community, and serving on the Board of Governors is an opportunity to give back to an institution that has shaped so many lives.”
Omps-Botteicher graduated summa cum laude from West Virginia University, where she earned degrees in English, history, and political science before finishing second in her WVU College of Law class and serving as senior managing editor of the Law Review.
She went on to clerk for Judge Gina Groh and has worked in private practice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office.
Omps-Botteicher has been widely recognized for her work, including being named West Virginia State Bar Young Lawyer of the Year and honored in the State Journal’s “40 Under 40.”
As a federal prosecutor, she led major cases involving drug trafficking and organized crime, earning commendations from community partners and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
She also serves on community boards and remains active locally through volunteer work and her family’s businesses.
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