Learn More About Country Roads Trust Director of Operations Taylor Scarnato

As a follow up to our breaking news about Country Roads Trust hiring a new Director of Operations, WV Sports Now spoke with Taylor Scarnato about her new role.

Scarnato answered some questions to provide WVU fans with more insight about her and how this new position will impact West Virginia sports.

1.) Being a proud WVU alum, what does landing this position mean to you?

“In a word: everything. The opportunity to serve the University in any capacity is an incredible honor that I don’t take lightly. Since graduating in 2012, I’ve dedicated my time to running alumni chapters, interest groups, fundraisers, traveling to games near and far and furthering the Mountaineer spirit wherever I can. It’s easy because of how much love I have for WVU and West Virginia as a state, but it also feels like a responsibility I carry because of how much both have given me.”

2.) Is there anything you can reveal about future plans or your thought process for how CRT can best serve WVU?

“I want every member of the Trust to know they are changing the course of history for WVU athletics. As the NIL landscape transforms, it’s important we’re leveraging every opportunity to compete at the highest levels with the very best. We’re going to revamp membership and continue building on our already-stellar kick-off dinners and events. I want to give folks more chances to get closer to the action. The first time I stepped on Mountaineer Field, I cried, and my mom kissed the grass. I know what it means to loyal Mountaineers to have an experience like that, and I want to make it more accessible for fans to have those memories. Also, we have an extremely exciting project in the works that’s similar to what some of the most successful sports media companies have recently launched – stay tuned for that announcement coming soon!”

3.) For any WVU fan unfamiliar with you, what makes you the right person for this role?

“My grandfather was a janitor at WVU Tech when it was still based in Montgomery, WV. He was ill most of his life, but at an early age I recognized the joy that the Mountaineers brought him any given gameday. I spent my summers and holidays in Rainelle, WV, walking the train tracks with my Mawmaw, going to bingo at the VFW, catching crawdads in the creek and running barefoot through the garden. The blood in my veins and the loyalty in my heart has always been West Virginia. From my Pawpaw sweeping the floors at WVU Tech, to my mom graduating from East Bank as president of her class, to me being a first-generation college graduate and having this opportunity today, is the story of the West Virginia dream; filled with sacrifice, resilience, and hard work to better the lives of our families and the next generation. I understand at the very core what it means to be a West Virginian, to be a Mountaineer, and what WVU means to this great state. I am passionate around the work we will do and how it will translate to huge success for WVU athletics, and I’m committed to diligently exploring every avenue possible to realize that success.

In 2012, I founded a WVU Alumni and Fan interest group in Hermosa Beach, CA. I served as the Big 12 representative for WVU in the Los Angeles region and supported the official LA Alumni chapter for 10 years. For the last two years, I have served as President for the Central Ohio Alumni chapter out of Columbus, OH and served on a WVU Alumni Association focus group of select Alumni leaders.”

4.) Is there anything else you want members of Mountaineer Nation to know as you embark on this journey?

“I’m here to serve and it is my honor. If you see me in the Blue Lot, the coliseum or anywhere in-between, please say hello! If you have questions about getting involved with Country Roads Trust, have collaboration ideas or sponsorship interests, let’s chat. I want to hear your thoughts!”

For some background on Scarnato, a proud WVU alum herself, read what she offered to WVSN below.

“I grew up in a rural county in Pennsylvania that many joked was “connected to West Virginia by a dirt road.” I graduated from WVU in 2012 with a degree from the (then) P.I. Reed School of Journalism, with a major in Public Relations and a minor in Communications. Over my career, I have focused on sales, marketing, and events for hospitality and staffing companies. For the better part of the last decade, I have specialized in acquiring top talent for Fortune 500 companies, most recently as a Principal Recruiter for an award-winning recruitment agency,” Scarnato told WVSN.

WV Sports Now expects Scarnato’s hire will lead to new initiatives and provide fans with a passionate alum who will fight for the greater good of WVU sports.

For a related story, WV Sports Now broke the news about the latest hire by Country Roads Trust.