From child care and housing to internships, tech jobs, and broadband, West Virginians are proving that when we come together across sectors, real progress happens. In this issue: bold workforce solutions, a warm welcome to our new Director of Development, highlights from the Fellowship, Career Connector updates, and more ways GWV is working to ensure young people can stay, succeed, and lead fulfilling lives in our state.
Child Care and Housing: West Virginia's Workforce Depends on It
A powerful truth is emerging across West Virginia: you can’t build a stronger workforce without first addressing child care and housing. Single parents in our state spend nearly 39% of their income on child care, while entire regions face rental vacancy rates at or near zero. The good news? Solutions are taking shape. From the state-backed Childcare West Virginia program that supports providers as entrepreneurs, to Tri-Share models that split child care costs between employers, employees, and the state, to bold regional partnerships securing hundreds of new homes, West Virginians are proving that when we work together across sectors, real progress is possible.
West Virginians want to work and build futures here. Now it’s time for all of us—employers, policymakers, and community leaders—to build the infrastructure that makes that possible.
GWV Welcomes Jennifer Taylor as New Director of Development
We’re thrilled to welcome Jennifer Taylor as Generation West Virginia’s new Director of Development! With more than two decades of nonprofit leadership under her belt, Jennifer brings a wealth of experience in fundraising strategy, donor cultivation, and building the kind of philanthropic partnerships that create lasting impact. Most recently, she served as Philanthropy Director at Valley Hospice, where she built major donor programs and expanded community support from the ground up.
For Jennifer, this role is deeply personal. “West Virginia isn’t just where I live; it’s where I’ve built my family, my career, and my community,” she said. “I believe in Generation West Virginia’s vision to make this a place where young people can stay, succeed, and lead fulfilling lives. I’m honored to join this team and to help expand the resources needed to make that vision a reality.”
Welcome to GWV, Jennifer. We’re excited to grow alongside you!
Your Voice Matters: Improving WV’s Internship Experience
Generation West Virginia, in collaboration with Marshall, WVU, and several state agencies, is exploring ways to strengthen the internship experience for both employers and young talent across the state. We’re gathering input from companies like yours to better understand what support would make internships more valuable, sustainable, and impactful.
We’d love your perspective.
Fellowship
GWV Fellows Dive Deep into Community, Innovation, and West Virginia’s Story
This September, the 2025 GWV Fellowship continued with an immersive session in Mingo County, where fellows connected with local leaders and discovered firsthand how creativity and innovation fuel community resilience. The session was packed with transformative experiences: sharpening their voices in a public speaking workshop, learning about flood recovery efforts, riding the legendary Hatfield–McCoy Trails, and closing with a moving visit to the Mine Wars Museum —a powerful reminder of the stories that continue to shape our state’s future.
The momentum continued last week with a virtual session led by Tara St. Clair, Program Director at WVU’s Encova Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Fellows dove into Design Thinking to tackle real-world challenges and brainstorm creative marketing solutions.
NewForce
NewForce Wraps Up Inaugural 'NewForce Insights' Project
In June, NewForce piloted NewForce: Insights, a training extension designed to provide resume-building experience for graduates while generating valuable data tools for GWV. Following Cohort 10’s completion, four new data analysts —Jimmy Boggs, Juan Casas Doza, Leo Muabe, and Tarik Kalwar —remained on board to deliver actionable insights across GWV’s programs. Their work included cleaning and analyzing data from both internal sources and key external partners like the WV Secretary of State’s office and the U.S. Census. The result: dynamic dashboards that not only strengthen program monitoring and grant reporting but also automatically update, ensuring GWV can continue benefiting from their contributions long after these trainees have moved on to the next stage of their careers. |
Career Connector
GWV Career Connector Job Board Gets a Boost from Wing2Wing Foundation
Big news for West Virginia’s growing tech sector: the Career Connector Job Board, created in partnership with TechConnect WV, is now proudly supported by the Wing2Wing Foundation. This statewide platform is bridging the gap between talented job seekers and high-demand tech careers while helping employers find the skilled professionals they need to grow.
With Wing2Wing’s support, we’re expanding the job board’s reach, enhancing its features, and shining a spotlight on the incredible technology opportunities right here in West Virginia. As our state’s tech economy continues to flourish, building a strong talent pipeline has never been more critical or more exciting.
Ready to connect?
Job Seekers: Explore open tech roles → generationwv.org/our-work/
Employers: Post your openings → Submit a job listing
Broadband
Welcome West Virginia's 2025-2026 American Connections Corps Members!
West Virginia is gaining three powerful allies in the fight to close the digital divide. Through the American Connection Corps, an AmeriCorps program that expands economic opportunity through national service, Emma Fiorta, Cassie Hull, and Max Nibert are joining our state for the 2025-2026 service year.
Emma will serve with Generation West Virginia, Cassie with Upshur County Public Library, and Max with Coalfield Development. Together, they’ll work across communities to ensure all West Virginians have access to the digital skills and resources needed to succeed in today’s economy.
Welcome to West Virginia, Emma, Cassie, and Max. We’re thrilled to have you here, and we can’t wait to see the impact you’ll make!
Check Out These Opportunities from our Partners!
- Learn About UC’s Doctor of Executive Leadership Program – Exclusive Webinar April 28: University of Charleston will be hosting an informational webinar on April 28 for people to learn more about their Doctor of Executive Leadership (DEL) program in the University of Charleston School of Leadership. Friends of GWV will receive 10% off tuition for any of UC’s leadership programs. Learn more.
- Generation United States SaaS Sales Development Representative Training Program: Applications Now Open: Generation United States’ free training program prepares participants for roles as Sales Development Representatives (SDR), a critical position within any sales team. Applications due May 6. Learn more.