THE FIRST-GEN FRONTWOMAN

Emily Renzelli

Founder, Appalachian Firsts and Antitrust Attorney, Rule Garza Howley

SUPERPOWER: Connection

Lawyer and activist Emily Renzelli’s impact has been felt in communities in need around the world, with her work earning her honors in Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 and U.S. News and World Report’s Best Lawyers.

Like many young West Virginians, Renzelli left the state to pursue her dreams. While the struggle to stay is a pervasive problem for youth growing up here, Renzelli is on the other side of it now and is grateful she’s made it back where she can do the important work she loves in the state she grew up in. “I call it ‘the power of coming home.’ I would never trade those opportunities for the world, but there was always something inside of me—this desire to come back.”

She and her husband both felt like they had a calling to come back to their home among the hills, not only because they wanted to raise their son where they’d spent their childhoods, but also because they believed their work here wasn’t finished. “I felt like there were so many unfulfilled goals connected to my community. I was in the position that I could move those forward, and it’s been amazing.”

A first-generation college student herself, Renzelli created Appalachian Firsts as a way to support and provide mentor opportunities for young West Virginians who would like to be the first in their family to pursue a college degree. “From the moment I set foot on campus, I benefited so much from all the opportunities. It’s so exciting to be at the stage of my life now where I have the opportunity to give back.”

While Appalachian Firsts recently established an endowed scholarship at West Virginia University for first-generation undergraduates, it isn’t the money that means the most to Renzelli. For her, the best part of the organization is working with young West Virginians looking for guidance and support. “Yeah, it would be great if we raised a million dollars or had a million mentees, but it’s really the impactful one-on-one kind of relationships that I look forward to continuing most.” —TWQ

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Since 2014 WV Living magazine has been honoring West Virginia Wonder Women, amazing women who are raising the bar in their communities, serving as beacons of light in their industries, and forcing change for the greater good. WV Living is proud to celebrate these Appalachian mothers, millennials, and mavens proving that in a time full of uncertainty, divisiveness, and hate, love for one another is all we really need. No need for bulletproof bracelets or a golden lasso of truth—these women are creating a better West Virginia with their can-do attitudes and Mountain State spirit.