Alex Weld

Dedication and determination are the two characteristics that are the driving force behind Alex Weld’s life.

“When someone says something can’t be done, I don’t accept that. I see it as a challenge to find out how it can be done,” she says.

As executive director of Generation West Virginia, Weld is leading programs that equip young West Virginians with key skills and career opportunities, ensuring their ability to thrive in the Mountain State.

“I know what it feels like to be a young West Virginian unsure of my career path, to care a lot about my community but not sure how to make an impact,” she says. “It’s a gift to be able to work every day on something that’s so important to me.”

The oldest of three, Weld grew up with her younger brother and sister in Wellsburg, WV. She feels lucky to have grown up with hardworking, loving parents and grandparents.

“I feel really thankful that I have very supportive parents,” Weld says. “I know that no matter what career path I decided to take, they would have been supportive and in my corner, which has made a huge difference in my life.”

Weld has also had the unwavering support of her husband, Ryan, who showed her that working to find a solution is where the real change happens.

“Ryan and I met in 2011,” she says. “We both love West Virginia and were volunteering on local boards and doing our best to serve our community,” she says. “He’s been an incredible example of what is possible when, instead of complaining that things aren’t better, you work like hell to be a part of the solution.”

In her current position, Weld is leading job training, job placement and professional growth programs for young adults throughout the state.

“I feel incredibly lucky to lead an organization that is doing this important work,” she says. “I know our team at Generation West Virginia is helping young people in this state find meaning and growth in ways that aren’t just important to them but are important to our state.”

Weld is motivated by her team members who are just as passionate as she is, the number of young people she sees daily who want to make a difference and seeing the potential of the Mountain State.

“When I see West Virginia at the bottom of some national rankings, I know it’s because we have real challenges, but it also means we have the opportunity to be problem solvers,” she says. “This is an opportunity to get curious, try new ideas, figure out what those underlying challenges are and work to build solutions. I feel incredibly lucky to live in a place and be in a position where that’s possible.”

Outside of her career, Weld serves as the chair of the Wellsburg Urban Renewal Authority, on the executive committee for the West Virginia Workforce Development Board and on the board of the Regional Economic Development Partnership. She also recently completed a six-year term on the board of YWCA Wheeling, an organization that is doing incredible work and changing the lives of women and children every day.

Weld cannot imagine living or working anywhere besides the Mountain State.

“I’ve been lucky enough to build a career that I’m passionate about in a place that I love,” she says. “I’m passionate about my job because I want other West Virginians to have that same opportunity.”