WV Executive

What were the most rewarding aspects of your time spent on the campaign trail?

I enjoyed meeting new people, reconnecting with friends from previous campaigns and seeing every aspect of West Virginia. Special occasions such as Read to me Day when I visited a school and read to children were also especially rewarding. The personal experiences with people, for example, when people hosted events in their homes for us, were so enjoyable and appreciated.

How do you see your role as First Lady?

I see my approach as three pronged. My first role is to support my husband Joe as the Governor of West Virginia. Secondly, as First Lady, I will serve as hostess and caretaker of the mansion. Lastly, as a committed educator, I plan to heighten the awareness of the citizens of West Virginia regarding issues that are important to me, and those, of course, always center on children and family.

How do you find balance?

I am a Gemini, so I love socializing and meeting new people. However, there is also a part of me that does like the time when I am completely by myself. I love to read, which is why I find it particularly relaxing to enjoy a good book when I do not have to focus on work. However, I also search out non-fiction books, which enlighten and continue to help me grow as an individual.

What is your favorite book?

My favorite fiction is Gone with the Wind-it was one of the first books that was imprinted on my mind. However, I am a great fan of Tom Clancy, Patricia Cromwell, Erma Bombeck, as well as local writers, such as Homer Hickam and Denise Giardina for sheer pleasure.

What are your passions for West Virginia?

I had the honor of working with Colin Powell's America's Promise and directing 20 AmeriCorps Promise Fellows in West Virginia. My passion is to ensure that West Virginia provides the five promises every child needs to become a competent, caring adult: a caring adult in their life; a safe place to be; a healthy start, which is a combination of nutritional meals, immunizations and a healthy lifestyle; a marketable skill; and the ability to give back to their community.

I hope West Virginia will be in a position to invest in the front end with our children and in new schools instead of at the back end with juvenile detention centers and prisons. If we foster the needs of children and build strong support systems for them, they will be able to earn a quality education and then build valuable careers.

Do you have certain causes or groups for which you plan to be an advocate?

Certainly children and family are my passion. When we look at the global picture of West Virginia, we have to ensure that everything we do is keeping all aspects in mind-especially health care, economic development and education. These facets go hand-in-hand and affect one another. But at the end of the day, the most important things are children and families. I plan to be mindful of the resources and support systems that they need.

Who inspires you?

Joe inspires me-his energy and compassion are remarkable. He quickly reviews a situation, grasps what the solution is and develops a plan to move forward. His ability to talk to people and pull the best information from them to work together on that solution is a significant talent of his.

In my own life, my mother and my grandmother were certainly inspirations to me. I have also had a great admiration for Jacqueline Kennedy for the way she conducted herself as a wife, a mother, and a First Lady in the face of horrific tragedy with such courage, dignity, poise and grace. To me, she was always a beautiful woman inside and out.

When you look back in four, maybe eight years, what do you hope to have accomplished as First Lady?

I hope that our young people will be saying, 'Not only do we want to stay in West Virginia, but we know we can.' I hope there will be more opportunities for our young adults in the state and that the educational process will be a seamless, coordinated system that provides support, resources, and curriculum that insures students the ability to go from some form of higher education into a quality job that provides a good salary, health care and benefits. And last but not least, I hope the citizens of West Virginia will have been proud to have me serve as their First Lady.

Do you have a team approach to this administration?

Joe and I have always been a team. Certainly the campaign, the transition meetings, and the inaugural planning have certainly encompassed a team approach. We are only as good as the people around us; therefore, a sharing of team members' ideas, knowledge and backgrounds is critical and allowing let them to do their job to the best of their ability is fundamental to success. When people work together, there are remarkable things that can happen.

What are you most proud of?

I am very proud of the commitment Joe and I have made to each other for 37 years, as well as being a mother for our three children and a 'Nana' for our six grandchildren. Lastly, I am also proud of the opportunities I have had in West Virginia-to work in education and community service with children and families in their communities.