THE HELPING HAND

Tanya Smigocki

Head of Community & Partnerships, Vantage Ventures and Board Member, Libera

SUPERPOWERS: Positivity and empathy

Tanya Smigocki’s life has been shaped by teachers. Her father was a longtime art professor at Fairmont State University and her mother taught kindergarten, but they weren’t the only ones to influence her. “I’ve had so many people that have molded me: schoolteachers, piano teachers, acting coaches, speech teachers. I was very lucky.” The work ethic and communication skills that she developed with the help of others are things she has strived to impart to the entrepreneurs, volunteers, and students she’s worked with in her professional and community positions.

Smigocki spent time living in Washington, D.C., and New York City, where she worked for Nasdaq, managing global volunteering and giving programs. When she came back to West Virginia during the pandemic, she was struck by the lack of social services here compared with those bigger cities and knew she wanted to make a difference in her home state by supporting organizations and people that are changing things for the better. “In my heart, I’ve always had a place for West Virginia. What’s nice in my jobs is that I’ve been in a position to create impact within organizations and to help the employees that I work with achieve their goals.”

In her various professional roles, she’s been able to help individuals and organizations connect, to the benefit of them and their communities. “Making these connections is very important in any type of job, because it is going to strengthen the organization as well as the function. I’m here to elevate and strengthen community centers.”

That goal informs her volunteer work as well, and she has recently joined the board of the nonprofit Libera, which helps girls in need in West Virginia. Many have been in the foster care system, and Smigocki is grateful to be able to contribute support to one of our state’s most vulnerable communities. “That’s just been such a joy to be part of, because they’re really moving the needle on helping children.” —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.