WEST VIRGINIA'S  FIRST LADY GAYLE C. MANCHIN

"Many of our Nation's young people are drinking heavily in middle school and are experiencing serious problems with alcohol by the time they enter high school. Preventing young people from drinking can also help prevent alcohol-related behavior and illnesses in adulthood."—Gayle C. Manchin

Introducing Gayle C. Manchin, First Lady of West Virginia

First Lady Gayle C. Manchin joined Leadership in April 2005, bringing her concern for the welfare of children and families and her belief in the importance of partnerships to achieve goals. In 2006, Mrs. Manchin spoke at a Town Hall meeting in Kanawha County on underage drinking prevention and discussed her commitment to the Leadership initiative.

Using her background as an educator, Mrs. Manchin implemented the West Virginia Partnerships to Assure Student Success Initiative, under the Office of Secretary of Education and the Arts. The initiative is a partnership of national, State, and local organizations to provide support and resources across West Virginia to children and families. This ongoing endeavor provides the framework for her goals as First Lady. As an educator, she worked in many Marion County schools, served on the faculty of Fairmont State College, and was the Director of the college's first Community Service Learning Program.

Upon moving to Charleston, Mrs. Manchin became Conference Chair for West Virginia's Commission on National and Community Service. She also became the West Virginia Director of the AmeriCorps Promise Fellow Program. In addition, she has served as a national consultant for Dr. Ruby Payne, a renowned authority on the affects of poverty on children and education. Currently, Mrs. Manchin is a national board member of the Center for Study of Economic Diversity, Inc. in Highlands, TX, and serves as a Commissioner for the National Education Commission of the States, by appointment of Governor Underwood and Governor Wise. In addition, she is the Fund Development Chair on the Executive Board of the Education Alliance, and is President-Elect of the Charleston-Vandalia Rotary Club.

Mrs. Manchin attained a Bachelor of Arts in Language Arts and Education and a Master of Arts in Reading from West Virginia University. She completed a second master's degree in Educational Technology Leadership from Salem International University. She and her husband have three children.