(304)696-6316
Painter@marshall.edu
Myers Hall Room 158, Marshall University Main Campus
Debbie Painter assumed the position of Interim Director of the H.E.L.P. Center on January 26, 2013. A part of H.E.L.P. since January 1991 when she began as a graduate assistant while obtaining her Master’s Degree in Learning Disabilities, she was most recently Assistant Director/ Coordinator of Diagnostics. H.E.L.P. is fortunate that a person of Mrs. Painter’s caliber agreed to fill this position. Her twenty-two years of experience is invaluable in directing the H.E.L.P. Center.
Mrs. Painter is enthusiastic and passionate about H.E.L.P., and she is dedicated to empowering students with Specific Learning Disabilities and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to reach their full potential. She has touched countless lives through the years and will continue to do so as the program moves forward.
Married to Charles Painter, they are the parents of two adult children, Scott Painter and Courtney Urbach. Mrs. Painter’s interests include reading, gardening, and traveling (especially to Colorado to visit their only grandchild, Cassidy Urbach).
Mrs. Painter says that she looks forward to leading the H.E.L.P. team during this time of transition.

(304)696-7085
weston@marshall.edu
Myers Hall Room 158, Marshall University Main Campus
The
tradition of excellence continued as Lynne Weston became the new
Director of the H.E.L.P. Center, August 1st, 2005 until July 31st,
2012. Mrs. Weston took over the leadership of H.E.L.P. with
her own vision, as it grew to meet the challenges of higher
education for learning disabled students in the 21st century. She
received her undergraduate degree in Special Education and
Elementary Education from Marshall University. Her Master's Degree
in Education was obtained from the the University of North Carolina
at Charlotte. She later became certified in Learning Disabilities at
Marshall University. She holds an Ed.S degree in Leadership Studies
/ Higher Education Administration. She has taught many grades in the
public schools system but loves working most with college students.
Mrs. Weston has been a part of the
Marshall University H.E.L.P. Program for the past twenty five years.
She has seen the program grow from seventy students to two hundred
students. She has great admiration for students in H.E.L.P. and
feels grateful to be a part of the growth and excitement of such an
outstanding program. She is married to Rick Weston. They have two
sons. The oldest son recently received his PhD. in Neuroscience and
the youngest is an attorney in Huntington, WV.

Dr. Barbara Priddy Guyer is the Director Emeritus of the H.E.L.P.
Program. She received her B.S. degree from Virginia Commonwealth
University in Education, a Master’s degree from Ohio State
University in School Administration, a Master’s degree in School
Psychology from the College of Graduate Studies of Marshall
University, and a doctorate in Learning Disabilities/Educational
Administration from the University of Virginia.
Dr. Guyer taught grades 2-6, remedial reading in a women’s prison
and was a principal of several schools including two Learning
Disabilities Centers in Richmond, Virginia, which she organized. She
began the H.E.L.P. Center in 1981 after she tested a particularly
bright young man who had failed in college four times. H.E.L.P. has
grown from 3 students with 2 employees to 200 students with 10
full-time employees and 50 part-time employees.
The greatest joy of her life has been working with college students
and seeing them succeed. "The joy that one sees in their eyes or the
excitement in their voices is a reward like none other. When H.E.L.P.
students begin to believe in themselves and see that there is hope
for the future, life begins to take on new meaning."
Dr, Guyer retired as Director of H.E.L.P. as of August 1st, 2005 but
will continue to be an integral part of the program. She will
continue to work with Medical H.E.L.P., continue to work in
fundraising, and to represent H.E.L.P. at conferences.
She is married to Ken Guyer and they have two daughters. Both have a
Learning Disability and one has ADHD. Her daughters have proven that
academic success is possible. One is a physician and the other is an
attorney.