Meet our full-time Housing and Residence Life Staff

Troy Ross photoTroy Ross
Director of Housing, Residence Life and Student Conduct
Office: 219 Chambers Hall
Phone: 724.836.9953
E-mail: Troy.Ross@pitt.edu 

Troy is the director of the department and oversees the daily happenings of the Office of Housing & Residence Life. He supervises the other members of the Residence Life professional staff.

Troy was raised in Whitsett, PA, a small village with a population of about 200. With nine older siblings (8 brothers and 1 sister), he was never without somebody to cause mayhem with. At the age of 17, Troy headed off to college at Pitt-Greensburg, where he studied political science and anthropology. While at Pitt-Greensburg, he spent four years as a Resident Assistant, which eventually led him to choose a career path in Higher Education. Soon after graduating in 1999, he began working in Pitt-Greensburg’s Admissions Office as an Admissions Counselor.

In January of 2001, he was hired as the Night Residence Hall Coordinator in Robertshaw Hall. He was later hired as Resident Director, which was subsequently changed to the Coordinator of Housing and Residence Life position. Troy assumed the directorship in August of 2010.  Troy holds a master's degree in Higher Education Management from the University of Pittsburgh. In his spare time, he enjoys golfing, reading, discussing politics, and watching movies. Troy is married to his wife Jessie and has a daughter Charlie.

Brian Root photoBrian Root
Assistant Director of Housing and Residence Life
Office: 213 Chambers Hall
Phone: 724.836.7470
E-mail: b.k.root@pitt.edu

Brian is the Assistant Director of the department and helps manage the day-to-day procedures in the office. Brian coordinates the housing application and assignment process, in addition to supervising the student staff in the Academic Village. He is also the director of the Outdoor Adventure & Community Service (OACS) living community.

Brian was born and raised in Mercer County in northwestern Pennsylvania. He initially aspired to be a newspaper journalist but changed career paths when he discovered the impact he could have on students' lives in the student affairs profession.  In his spare time, Brian enjoys geocaching, bowling, board and card games, and volunteering in the community. 

Brian received his bachelor's degree from Pitt-Greensburg and earned his master's degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  Brian joined the Pitt-Greensburg staff in 2006 and assumed his current position in August 2010.

Kyle Harper photoKyle Harper
Resident Director
Office: 102 McKenna Hall
Phone: 724.836.7606
E-mail: krh121@pitt.edu

Kyle graduated from Pitt-Greensburg with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Creative & Professional Writing. Previously, Kyle served as a Community Assistant for three years and founded the Pitt Fight professional wrestling club on campus. Kyle enjoys cooking, watching professional wrestling, and collecting board games. Kyle looks forward to expanding his role on campus and helping students in their day-to-day life.

Sam Middagh photoSamantha Middagh
Graduate Resident Director
Office: 105 McKenna Hall
Phone: 724.836.9937
E-mail: smiddagh@pitt.edu

Samantha was born and raised in East Stroudsburg, PA. While attending high school she held officer positions in a few volunteer based clubs and realized she wanted to join a profession where she could help others. Initially she sought out to be a Speech Pathologist, receiving her bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders in May 2022 from Bloomsburg University. However, after working as a Community Assistant for three years. she found her calling in Student affairs. Since then she has joined the Pitt-Greensburg staff in August of 2022 and is currently working towards her master’s degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. During her free time Samantha enjoys sewing, reading, watching movies, running, and hiking.