of helping keep West Virginians healthy and making sure they have access to the best possible care.
Elaine Darling, co-CEO and director of programs for The Center for Rural Health Development, Inc., says community conditions significantly impact health.
“ Every day we make decisions based upon the choices we have available to us,” Darling says.“ For example, a community with no grocery store is likely to have limited to no access to healthy food options, ultimately impacting the diet and long-term health of its community members.”
The center launched Wild, Wonderful & Healthy West Virginia in 2019 to identify and address the priorities across communities in the state, which has seen momentous effects in many counties.
“ This program is free to take part in, and Wild, Wonderful & Healthy West Virginia community team members receive technical assistance, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, conference scholarships and more,” Darling says. •
WVSOM’ s WISH Program
After a 170-pound weight loss, Drema Hill, Ph. D., West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine’ s( WVSOM) vice president for community engagement and chief operations officer, was inspired to create an accessible program to promote healthy living to women in West Virginia.
Hill spearheaded the Women Interested in Staying Healthy( WISH) Program, offering structured events promoting healthy living for women.
The program ran its first pilot group between 2023 and 2024, which produced outcomes like increased confidence in making healthy lifestyle changes, improved awareness of preventative health measures and strong engagement. Now WISH hopes to move statewide, its plan being to offer free online programming in select communities.
“ Many women are balancing work, family and caregiving responsibilities, making it harder to prioritize their own health,” Hill says.“ WISH empowers women to take charge of their health by providing guidance, education and support for nutrition, physical activity, stress management and preventive care.”
CONGRATULATIONS
ANGELA D. CHRISTIAN, RN, CRNI, MHA
BOONE MEMORIAL HEALTH CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
The Board of Directors, administrators, physicians, and staff of Boone Memorial Health applaud our Chief Operating Officer, Angela( Angie) Christian, for being recognized as one of the most influential West Virginians in health care.
Angie’ s leadership has made a lasting difference in the lives of patients and employees. Dedicated to bridging clinical excellence with the needs of the rural communities we serve, Angie leads with compassion, perseverance, and purpose, inspiring those around her while strengthening the care BMH delivers every day. Her selection to the West Virginia Executive Health Care Hall of Fame honors a career defined by service, impact, and an unwavering commitment to making Southern West Virginia a better, happier, and healthier place to live.
WWW. WVEXECUTIVE. COM WINTER 2026 41