THE NEXT SET OF FOOTSTEPS

Leah Glover

President of the Board of Directors, YWCA Charleston

SUPERPOWERS: Patience, empathy, and strength

Growing up, Leah Glover was surrounded by women who were not only mothers, but who were excelling in their careers and giving back to their communities. Her mother, grandmother, cousins, and great-aunts served as these role models, and Glover has followed in their footsteps. “Becoming that servant–leader I saw growing up, that became really important to me,” she says. “I wanted to make sure my life was not just about me, but about giving to others and often putting others before myself.”

Glover, who serves as the president of the board of directors of the YWCA Charleston, immediately immersed herself in the community when she, her husband, Craig, and their two children moved to West Virginia roughly five years ago. Initiatives involving women and girls have always been especially important to Glover, so after learning the YWCA’s mission—which emphasizes eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all—she was eager to accept an invitation to join the board. “Being empowered by strong women who make a great impact in the community, to sit at their feet and learn from them, is inspiring,” she says.

Glover has an ever-growing list of appointments and volunteer efforts, including serving as a member of the West Virginia Women’s Commission; a board trustee and grant reviewer for the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation; a board member at the West Virginia State University Foundation; and a member of The Links Charleston–Institute (WV) Chapter. But when it comes to sharing her talents, she does not limit herself to West Virginia. As a fundraising strategist consultant, Glover also works with several nonprofits throughout the country to achieve their goals, such as the June Archer Foundation in Connecticut and the House of Miles East St. Louis.

“Knowing some of the decisions I’ve made as a volunteer or as a board member is changing lives, that’s the greatest gift I could ever receive for the work I do,” she says. “I don’t look for accolades or pats on the back, but when I know and see the smiling faces of those whose lives those decisions have changed in the right direction, that’s all I need.”

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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.