WEST VIRGINIA WONDER WOMEN
THE BUSINESS PARTNER KAREN PRICE, CHARLESTON Government relations lobbyist with Dinsmore law firm, president of West Virginia Roundtable, and former president of the West Virginia Manufacturers Association NEW BEGINNINGS “I majored in political science at Morris Harvey, which is now the University of Charleston. I worked with the House of Delegates for a while, giving me the opportunity to see the reality of what happened in the Legislature. It was great being able to work with companies, helping them grow, and working towards a better economy for West Virginia.” HISTORY OF CONNECTIONS “I worked with the West Virginia Development Office for 14 years. I got to travel around the state and work with companies and new prospects coming into West Virginia. I’ve led the Manufacturers Association as its president, working on legislative issues with companies around the state in regards to taxes, the environment, and other matters. I worked with partners to help set up systems for educating kids in middle schools about opportunities in manufacturing and exploring those opportunities in the state. Now, I’m at Dinsmore. I’ve worked with wonderful people, and it’s work that I love. I just keep moving down this same path.” GREEN PASSION “When I’m not working, I love to garden. When I moved into my current home, one thing that struck me was that this house deserved to have gardens, so I gave it gardens. It’s been such a learning experience. Now it’s like I can’t stop.”DL THE HOMETOWN HERO AMANDA WORKMAN-SCOTT, STONEWOOD Director of community engagement at the West Virginia Community Development Hub MOUNTAINS OF BEAUTY “Each community has its own unique things to offer. But when I hear other people from outside of West Virginia talk about West Virginia when they visit here, it really comes back to the beauty
of the state and the people who live here. As West Virginians, we’re really proud of our state: the beauty and everything that we have to offer.” COMING HOME “My main inspiration is my kids. I want them to experience new things and new places, but I want them to always see West Virginia as their home. I want them to see the value of getting involved in their community and to be proud of where they come from.” START LOCAL “If we want our community members to get involved, I feel we need to get involved in our own communities. The Bridgeport Farmers Market–they’re all family to me. It’s an amazing thing we’re able to pull off every single week over the summer and into the fall. It’s really cool because it’s something my parents started 11 or 12 years ago, and is now something I get to share with my family every Sunday.”MY THE PASSIONATE ADMINISTRATOR MICHELE MARTZ, FORT ASHBY President of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Western Maryland SEEING A NEED “My father had heart disease and died when I was in college and my younger siblings were in high school. I think if we had had the health care that we have here today and the resources that we have now compared to what we had back in the 1980s when this occurred, I think my dad would still be alive, and it would be a whole different story to be written.” HER PATH “I initially started in accounting, and then I was promoted to vice president of finance, and then I was assigned the role of being responsible for all the physician clinics and practices, which gave me that operational experience. Our CFO retired, and I stepped into the CFO role for a short period of time, and then when our CEO retired, I took that as an opportunity. Why not me? Why not apply for that?” PROGRESS “We are still in the middle of our integration with UPMC. We want to continue to expand services in our region and have local providers that are able to care for our patients and community. ” AB
THE MOTIVATOR AMY GRADY, LEON West Virginia senator and Leon Elementary teacher
BROADENING HORIZONS “I can only ever remember wanting to be a teacher. I used to set up my dolls and play class with them. I teach fourth grade at a rural school with kids whose families love them, but they don’t necessarily have everything in life. It inspires me to show these kids things they don’t see on a regular basis, to show them there’s more in the world beyond Mason County.” LOVE OF THE GAME “My coaches at Point Pleasant High School gave me a lot of inspiration, and now I coach youth sports. I try to teach them skills, but also to love the sport. I learned a lot of my best life skills in sports, like the value of teamwork. When you’re a part of a team, you’re part of something bigger than yourself.” FRESH PERSPECTIVE “During the 2018 teacher strike, I went door to door at legislators’ offices, offering my perspective. Few really took the time to listen, so I decided to run for office. I think everyone goes in with an idea of how they want to help, but many legislators don’t understand what it’s like to be a public educator. I ran in 2020, defeating incumbent Senate President Mitch Carmichael. My first session was a learning experience, but it’s been great sharing the perspective of students and families.”WH “As West Virginians, we’re really proud of our state: the beauty and everything that we have to offer.” amanda workman-scott
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