2026 West Virginia Wonder Women

WRITTEN BY NIKKI BOWMAN MILLS, WENDY HOLDREN, HOLLY LELEUX-THUBRON, AND TAYLOR MAPLE

When WV Living entered the scene 18 years ago, its mission was to change perceptions of West Virginia and celebrate the places and people that make this state so special. And as a woman-owned business, it was only natural that we shine a light on the women who are doing the same. 

Since launching the Wonder Women initiative in 2014, WV Living has told the stories of more than 600 West Virginia women who lead, educate, fundraise, nurture, create, inspire, and more—women who are making West Virginia better one day at a time for nothing more than the love of home. 

In these pages, you’ll find our 2026 class, ready to join the ranks of those who came before them. Some are lifelong residents of the Mountain State, while others sought new perspectives and became ambassadors beyond our borders. Others simply visited, fell in love with Almost Heaven, and never left. All are West Virginians in mind, body, or spirit, and all are glowing examples of what it means to be a Wonder Woman. And as they pave the way for 600 more women behind them, we lift them up and say, “Thank you.”