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The Tax Commissioner oversees and manages the Tax Division so that the laws concerning the assessment and collection of all taxes and levies are faithfully enforced.
Contacts
Alicia Elam Clark Executive Assistant to the Commissioner 304-558-0751
Mark Morton, Esq. General Counsel 304-558-5330
Tax Commissioner
Matthew Irby was appointed Tax Commissioner for West Virginia by Governor Jim Justice on June 29, 2021.
He brings nearly two decades of public service experience in tax and law to the Tax Division in service to West Virginia as the Deputy Tax Commissioner, Director of the Tax Account Administration Division, Administrative Law Judge at the West Virginia Office of Tax Appeals, and as an attorney for the Tax Division. He has also worked for Legal Aid of West Virginia and the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy.
Commissioner Irby earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marshall University and a law degree from Chase College of Law.
Deputy Tax Commissioner
Contact
Connie Stinnett Administrative Assistant 304-558-8351
Erin Winter is the Deputy Tax Commissioner.
She began her career with the West Virginia Tax Division in 2014 as an attorney in the Legal Division.
Prior to joining the Tax Division, she worked for 10 years in private practice as a litigation attorney.
Erin received her Bachelor of Science in film from Boston University and a Doctorate in Jurisprudence from the University of Georgia.
Assistant Commissioner, Operations
J. Michael Dempsey Assistant Commissioner, Operations 304-558-0751
J. Michael Dempsey is the Assistant Commissioner, Operations for the West Virginia Tax Division.
Michael joined the Tax Division in August 2021, and is responsible for the areas of IT, Operations, and Revenue.
He began his career as an auditor, then spent seven years as the Director of Finance for a Third Party Administrator. He has spent the last 14 years in public accounting, performing business valuations, litigation support, damage calculations, and, most recently, has managed class action claims administration projects for State and Federal Court. Michael has 23 years of accounting and finance experience.
Michael received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from West Virginia University Institute of Technology and his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Charleston. He is a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) and is a member of the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA).
Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Compliance and Enforcement
R. Derek Walker is the Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Compliance and Enforcement and is responsible for the overall enforcement efforts of the agency. He is the Director of the Criminal Investigation Division and has oversight of Compliance.
He has over 25 years of service to the State of West Virginia, having served as an investigator for more than 20 of those years. Prior to joining the agency he excelled in various roles at the WV Senate, State Auditor's Office and Office of the Attorney General where he served as Chief Investigator. He most recently served the Tax Division as a Special Investigator and Executive Enforcement Officer, leading our enforcement team.
Derek has completed a number of continuing education courses offered by the National White Collar Crime Center, West Virginia Fusion Center and the Federation of Tax Administrators. He is a graduate of the University of Charleston earning Associate of Science, Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees.
Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Taxpayer Engagement
Emily Cramer Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Taxpayer Engagement 304-558-0751
Emily Cramer is the Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Taxpayer Engagement and in this role is responsible for taxpayer education, communication, and advocacy both in the community and within the West Virginia Tax Division through oversight of Taxpayer Services, the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate, and Property Tax.
She began her career in international tax in public accounting before returning home to the West Virginia Tax Division in 2022. Emily received her Bachelor’s in Public Relations from Duquesne University, Juris Doctorate from West Virginia University, and Master of Laws in Taxation from Boston University.