Managing Partner, Vice President and Director of Creative Services, TSG Consulting
By Maggie Matsko
Rachel Coffman has climbed to the highest peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro and swam to the edge of Victoria Falls, and even after traveling the globe, this Mountaineer still believes there is nowhere like West Virginia.
“No place in the world makes me feel like West Virginia makes me feel,” she says. “I see so much potential here, and I am proud to be able to contribute to the conversation on how our state needs to be shaped for the next generation.”
Coffman, now the vice president and director of creative services at TSG Consulting, did not consider herself a risk taker until 2005 when she heard former Marshall University President Stephen Kopp speak at her alma mater.
“President Kopp said that in life when you get comfortable, it means you have stopped growing,” she says. “Seek being uncomfortable because when you feel uneasy is when you are learning. His speech has always stuck with me and helped push me at times in life when I could have settled.”
A few weeks after hearing that speech, Coffman applied for an internship with ISP Sports, now IMG College. “That internship was the start of my career,” she says. “Everything from that point on stemmed from that action I made after hearing that speech.”
Growing up, Coffman’s parents instilled in her the strong work ethic she has maintained throughout her career. Her mom, a teacher, and her dad, a union laborer, set concrete examples of the type of professional she wanted to be.
“My parents both devoted their careers to molding things of significance,” she says. “My dad sculpted plaster into the fine details while my mom molded her students into appreciating the values of respect and teamwork. They had two vastly different career paths that each had tangible results. That’s why I enjoy being a part of public policy—I can be interactive in improving the landscape of our state.”
In 2010, Coffman joined TSG Consulting, where she began to learn the governmental relations process from Tom Susman, TSG’s president.
“I owe a lot of where I am today to Tom,” she says. “He has been a key mentor to me and has pushed me out of my comfort zone. Being able to work alongside experts like Tom and Joe Gollehon has been instrumental in my career because they are the best at what they do.”
Coffman believes her strong will, drive and ability to multitask are what have attributed to her success, and it is her passion for her community that motivates her volunteer efforts. She serves on boards for the Friends of the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences, Public Relations Society of America West Virginia Chapter, Opportunity West Virginia, FestivAll and the Greater Sissonville Development Council. As Carnaval co-chair, she has been a key member in developing the Clay Center’s pinnacle fundraiser for the last seven years. She also serves on the governmental relations committee for the West Virginia Manufacturers Association and the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce. This year she was appointed to Governor Jim Justice’s transition team on health policy.
In 2016, Coffman addressed the limited resources in her hometown of Sissonville, WV, by using her professional contacts to create a career day for ninth and 10th grade students at Sissonville High School. More than 30 professionals from various career clusters spent the morning in sessions with students, offering them real-world examples of potential careers.
When she isn’t juggling projects or volunteering, Coffman can be found mentoring young adults. By offering guidance to West Virginia’s youth, Coffman sees the endless potential the Mountain State holds.
“This state is full of opportunity, and it’s an amazing place for a young professional to get involved and have your voice heard at an early age,” she says. “When I see the phrase ‘struggle to stay,’ I feel it ignites the negative narrative more than counteracting it. It is important for us to educate our middle school and high school children on why they need to stay and how to be entrepreneurs and create their own opportunity.”
