2023
Meshea Poore
Vice President and Senior Diversity Officer , WVU Division of Diversity , Equity and Inclusion
Photo by HQ Publishing .
LORI KERSEY
AS MESHEA POORE looks back over her life , she finds she ’ s always cared about people having equal access to information , innovation and opportunity . She believes this access gives people hope .
“ While this may seem insignificant to some , it matters to those that need guidance navigating through the challenges of life ,” Poore says . “ I understood that innovation could provide prosperity and opportunity to lead to generational and geological healing and wealth .”
That focus on equality has guided Poore through her career , from her time working as a public defender , to representing her district in the state House of Delegates , to her current role as vice president and senior diversity officer at West Virginia University ’ s ( WVU ) Division of Diversity , Equity and Inclusion .
Poore is proud to be a Black woman from Appalachia , but she knows most
people don ’ t picture her when they think of the region . Growing up , Poore ’ s community on the West Side of Charleston surrounded her with love and taught her she could change the narrative of being hidden in plain sight by standing up , speaking out and being seen .
As a child , Poore decided she wanted to be a lawyer after hearing school friends talk about the struggles their families faced when a loved one became involved with the court system . They would talk about bail and how they couldn ’ t afford the $ 5,000 retainer necessary to hire an attorney and were forced to settle for a public defender .
“ It was at this juncture in my young life that I recognized my desire to become an attorney — not just any attorney — but a public defender who would provide quality legal representation that far exceeds the $ 5,000 retainer they once discussed , despite a person ’ s inability to pay ,” Poore says .
Poore attended Howard University in Washington , D . C ., where she studied political science and administrative justice . She studied law at the Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge , LA .
After passing the bar , Poore ’ s first legal job was as a public defender for the Kanawha County Public Defender ’ s Office . She worked there for five years until she opened her own law firm .
“ I discovered that while my tenacity , legal representation , transparency and explanation of the legal system made a difference to the individual and families that I represented , I needed to do more ,” Poore says .
At the start of her law career , Poore ’ s practice focused on juvenile justice . She participated in the Juvenile Justice Clinic at Southern University Law Center and enjoyed the experience . While she represented young people in court , she also introduced families to community resources that helped them develop vocational skills . If she couldn ’ t find a program , she pushed organizations to develop tailored programs for the kids .
“ This extra effort allowed the juveniles to receive guidance on making wiser decisions that often prevented a return to detention and helped many chart a more productive path ,” Poore says .
Besides juvenile justice , Poore ’ s work as an attorney also included representing various clients and serving as guardian ad litem . Her experiences
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE