Alexis Reisinger is a first year graduate student in Geography. Alexis graduated from Knox College with a B.A. in Environmental Studies in Spring of 2025. Their main research goals at WVU focus on food access and the right to food from a policy perspective. While focusing on food justice, Alexis is also passionate about integrating GIS into their work. The CRC’s commitment to community building is what initially brought them to the center, as Alexis is interested in community development, particularly in rural areas.
Chrysanthe Kallimanis is a first year graduate student in Geography. She recently graduated with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Philosophy from St. Mary's College of Maryland. Her areas of interest are climate and environmental justice, along with ethical frameworks and feminist theories. She is a Community-Engaged Research Assistant for The Center for Resilient Communities focused on the development of the Youth Leadership program. Her research interests started with assessing environmental hazards in Maryland, and doing workshops with local communities to discuss climate adaptation and resilience efforts. She is now furthering her social justice interests in West Virginia through addressing complex issues in Appalachia in the context of catalyzing young people to be stewards of their community.
Daniela Ortega is a first year graduate student in Geography, at WVU, and got her BA in Design from Universidad de los Andes, Colombia. Her professional background as a product designer, along with her passion for environmental advocacy, has led her to collaborate in research on issues related to Just Energy Transition, Social Development and Environmental Justice with communities in Colombia. She became part of the CRC, as a Community Engaged Research Assistant, to further her academic and professional interests in alternative economies and community development in places with a legacy marked by extractive processes, such as West Virginia. Her goal is to lead projects that seek to approach the context in a creative and critical way, through collaborative work with community members and students.