WVU College of Law Class of 2023 By Kristen Uppercue Nakia Ridgeway, term law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia and 2023 West Virginia University (WVU) College of Law graduate, was born and raised in a large family in Lexington, KY. She decided to make Northern Virginia her…
WVU College of Law Class of 2023 By Maggie Hatfield Originally from Hurricane, WV, Caroline Leadmon grew up in a family of Mountaineers. “Both my parents are West Virginia University (WVU) alumni, and because they fostered Mountaineer values in me, attending WVU was a family tradition that I was proud to carry on,” Leadmon says.…
Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia By Ellis Willard Beth Walker, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, was told in seventh grade she should be a lawyer because she liked to argue. Years later, that is exactly what she decided to do. Walker worked hard in every…
Vice President and Senior Diversity Officer,WVU Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion By Lori Kersey As Meshea Poore looks back over her life, she finds she’s always cared about people having equal access to information, innovation and opportunity. She believes this access gives people hope. “While this may seem insignificant to some, it matters to…
CEO, Contractors Association of West Virginia By Arianna Whitehair Even as a child, Jason Pizatella knew he wanted to make a difference. “I was pretty sure I was going to go to law school early in life, perhaps as early as middle school,” says Pizatella, CEO for the Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV). “I…
Partner, Bowles Rice LLP By Emily Pellham Ellen Maxwell-Hoffman, partner at Bowles Rice LLP, is a sixth-consecutive generation lawyer and the fourth-consecutive generation to practice and live in West Virginia. Growing up in Elkins, WV, Maxwell-Hoffman carries wonderful memories of spending time in nature, browsing her local library for books and periodicals and enjoying a…