West Virginia Women Work, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit was founded in 2000 by Lisa Diehl, a long time advocate for women on issues related to nontraditional employment, economic self-sufficiency and poverty. Janis Gunel has been the director for the past ten years. The organization strives to help women in West Virginia earn a living wage. The primary focus of the organization’s activities has been to help women explore, train and secure employment in nontraditional occupations, especially the skilled trades.

While the nonprofit’s headquarters is in Morgantown, there are presently three active skilled trades training sites (Step-Up for Women) located in the state – North Central West Virginia (Morgantown), the Eastern Panhandle (Martinsburg) and Kanawha Valley (Charleston). This program boasts an 80% job placement rate with new graduates earning a minimum of $3 more per hour than a traditional job.

In past years, our organization also served over 800 women in West Virginia with our career coaching service, computer literacy classes and public career exploration workshops.

 

OUR STAFF

Janis Gunel, Executive Director

(304) 598-0114
jgunel@wvwomenwork.org

Ms Gunel has been actively involved in the development of training and counseling programs for displaced homemakers, single parents and women in transition since 1991. She has been Executive Director of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, West Virginia Women Work since 2001 and has secured many grants over the past ten years to support the organization’s projects.

Presently the nonprofit boasts three skilled trades training sites (Step-Up for Women) in the state to prepare and place women in construction jobs. Past accomplishments include: holding nontraditional occupation-exploration conferences, and offering career advising counseling and computer literacy classes to the public free of charge.

Kristina Szczyrbak, Job Developer / Program Coordinator

(304) 598-0114
kristina@wvwomenwork.org

Kristina joined the West Virginia Women Work team in 2006. She runs the North Central Step Up for Women training site in Morgantown and has successfully graduated seven classes totaling over 100 participants. In that time, Kristina has accomplished a job placement average of 89% and has helped approximately 40 graduates in being accepted into union apprenticeship positions. Kristina holds a Commercial / Residential Green Advantage Environmental Certification, a WV Residential Contractor’s License, and in 2010 was recognized as a Generation Next Award winner for her work with Step Up for Women and other local nonprofit organizations.

Melissa Pletcher, Job Developer / Program Coordinator

(304) 754-9258
melissa@wvwomenwork.org

Misty Mayville, Job Developer / Program Coordinator

(304) 720-1402
misty@wvwomenwork.org

Priya Walia, Headquarter's Office Manager

(304) 598-0114
priya@wvwomenwork.org

Board Members

  • Millie Karlin, President
  • Jerri Walls, Treasurer
  • Lisa Diehl
  • Meena Ahluwalia
  • Kathy Pauley
  • Tara Dille
  • Lydia Work
  • Chele Varner