WEST VIRGINIA WONDER WOMEN THE VISIONARY ASHLEY MONTGOMERY, WESTON Co-owner of the Weston Town Hub COMING HOME “My husband, Nick, and I both graduated from Lewis County High in 1997. We lived in different places and moved home to West Virginia in our 30s. I became a vocal advocate for home birth and midwifery care in north central West Virginia when we arrived, and I was the state’s first gestational surrogate—I gave birth to twins for strangers who live in a different state.” MISSION-DRIVEN “My husband and I decided to open a craft beer taproom in downtown Weston.We quickly realized that apathy had replaced civic pride in our community. I believe that Weston is at the crossroads of economic development and community charm. I’ve now made it my mission to challenge others in our community to put differences aside and work together to bring our town back to life.” THE FRONT PORCH “We created a huge ‘Front Porch’ right on Main Avenue to provide a much-needed outdoor area for everyone in the community to enjoy. We are also starting renovations on a dilapidated 24,000-square-foot building adjoining the Front Porch, and we intentionally named the building the Weston Town Hub because we want everyone to be part of our town’s new space. We’ve started monthly Second Saturdays and have created other events to bring people downtown, and we’ve also inspired new friends to get involved using their talents. Most importantly, we’ve organized a movement to tell Weston’s new story of positive progress. By working together to create lasting change, we take ownership of our town’s future, and we can once again feel pride in where we live.” HLT THE COMMUNITY BUILDER CARLA KAPOSY, PETERSBURG Executive director of the Grant County Convention and Visitors Bureau; founding member of Project Equip ROOTS RUN DEEP “After college, I moved to Pittsburgh, but I always knew I wanted to come back to West Virginia. I’ve been back for about 20 years. My husband and I just decided to take a chance on some things, and
we purchased our own business and have been business owners since then—we just have that sort of drive and like taking risks. I love seeing people excited about coming to West Virginia because I love the place that we live and all of the people of West Virginia. We have so much natural beauty here, and it’s just exciting to show that off to people.” DEVOTED PRACTICE “We have hearing health care practices, and it’s always a blessing to make a difference in someone’s life.That’s what we do here at Heritage Hearing and Hearing Central: change lives through better hearing.” A NEWADVENTURE “We’re in the process of purchasing a hotel in Petersburg—it’s a historic building that was built in 1841. We’re going to renovate it and start fresh. It’s just something new and exciting for us that we have never done. I love giving back to my community and remember that we all have to be the change that we wish to see. There’s no room to sit back and complain or see things that you don’t like when you can just roll up your sleeves, get involved, and help make things the best they can be.”MM THE ONE ON TRACK CARRIE COOMBS RUSSELL, MORGANTOWN CEO of MXSports, president of RacerTV and RacerX, and the women behind Motocross Nationals LIFE CYCLE “When you grow up in a family business that races motorcycles, why would you do anything else? Racing keeps families together.That’s why my family is still in it. All the big companies were in California, and there was a big push for us to head west. My parents refused.They loved West Virginia, and now we can live anywhere and conduct business.This is a state that welcomes motorsports.” COVID SAFETY TRAILBLAZER “We created a safety race task force and selected 40 people and designated different areas involving a race—everything from the front gate and back gate to concessions and track safety—and we put together a toolkit.We shared it nationwide: not just motocross promoters, but any kind of motorsport promoter.We were the first professional sport that got back on track. It’s the only way the industry was going to survive.”
THE ROAD AHEAD “We started the Mountaineer race a couple years ago at the Summit Bechtel National Scout Reserve, the Bechtel Reserve.What a wonderful place! It’s the best-kept secret inWest Virginia.Our Adventure On! Freedom Fest is planned for the weekend of September 11—it’s going to be the biggest event inWest Virginia this year.”MY
THE SHOULDER TO LEAN ON FRANKI L. PARSONS, CHARLESTON Of counsel attorney at Ray, Winton & Kelley law firm
THE FIRE WITHIN “I’ve been an attorney for 19 years. My dad fell ill in 2011. I was living in Kansas City at the time, and I was trying to help my mom, but I couldn’t handle the matter because I was working as an attorney in another state. He had a will, but he did not have powers of attorney. There is a need in this state for people who practice this area of law and who get it. I’m not sure, unless you’ve been through it, if you really understand how stressful it is. When I moved back in 2014, I ended up working at United Bank in the trust and wealth department, and that was how I segued into making this my entire career— trust and asset management.” OUTSIDE THE OFFICE “I’ve been on several boards including Habitat for Humanity of West Virginia, West Virginia Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, and the Tamarack Foundation. I’m currently serving on the board of Faith in Action of the Greater Kanawha Valley.This is a great organization that provides help to seniors. We give them rides to doctor appointments, pick up their groceries, and make minor repairs at their houses.” THE FUTURE “I’ve had a lot of different experiences, like serving as acting general counsel to the West Virginia Development Office and as outside general counsel to the West Virginia Water Development Authority and the West Virginia Housing Development Fund. I’m looking forward to continuing to grow my practice. I think there will be more writing and teaching in my future, too.”MM
102 wvliving.com • fall 2021
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