Alys Portman Smith
First Lady, Marshall University; Co-founder, Wing 2 Wing Foundation; Founder, Women Warriors Summit
Photo by Bullseye Total Media.
MEGAN BEVINS
THROUGHOUT HER DYNAMIC CAREER, Alys Portman Smith has been a constant advocate for those without a voice, a champion for women and a firm believer that there is potential for success everywhere— especially here in the Mountain State.
Smith was raised in Akron, Ohio, with her twin sister, Lauren, and younger brother, Stuart. She was introduced to law at a very early age by her father, a trial lawyer who valued moments with his family conducting lively debates or spending quality time outdoors golfing and playing tennis.
Her mother, who earned three graduate degrees but chose to stay home to raise her three children, was Smith’ s first example of female empowerment. Having been denied entry to medical school for being a woman, Smith’ s mother taught her children the importance of gender equality and instilled
in her daughters that they could do anything they set their minds to.
“ It was an upbringing rooted in love, integrity and a deep belief in the power of education and equality,” she says.“ For us, it was truly idyllic.”
With a love for people and desire to help others, Smith originally dreamed of going into the medical field but ultimately decided law school would better suit her interests. She received a bachelor’ s degree in premed and biology from The Ohio State University, then a law degree from the University of Akron Law School.
Smith says while in law school, she enjoyed embracing different perspectives on cases and participating in discussions and debates that helped shape her problem-solving skills. However, her biggest challenge was facing a professor who thought women didn’ t belong in law school.
“ This taught me to stand up for myself no matter the consequences because I wasn’ t only fighting for myself but for all the women who would follow me,” she says.
Smith’ s first legal role involved prosecuting consumer fraud cases at the Ohio Attorney General’ s Office, where she helped fight for those who suffered losses due to scams. Staying in this role for a year, Smith then transitioned to workers’ compensation trials, defending the State of Ohio. She then spent many years passing bar exams that allowed her to practice across the country in states like Ohio, Connecticut and New
Jersey in different areas of law.
“ I loved that no two cases were ever the same,” she says.“ Each one taught me something new, kept me curious and gave me the chance to work independently while still collaborating when needed.”
Smith spent time in Georgia working with contracts, human resources, employment law, mergers and acquisitions before moving to California to start her own mediation practice. There, she worked with divorces and employment and contract disputes.
In 2022, Smith passed the West Virginia bar to become a Guardian ad Litem, stepping into what she describes as one of the most challenging yet deeply rewarding roles of her career— advocating for foster children in abuse and neglect cases. She still holds this position today and says the most fulfilling part of the job is knowing she may have had a hand in giving a child a better future.
“ As a mother, it’ s heartbreaking to witness the trauma so many of these children face, often as a result of a parent’ s substance use disorder,” Smith says.“ While reunification with biological parents is always the goal, recovery is rarely linear. That means children may remain in foster care for extended periods, sometimes separated from siblings, and even face repeated removals if a relapse occurs.”
Along with her many professional accomplishments, Smith is passionate about uplifting her community,
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