Alys Smith

Marshall’s First Lady is a wife, mother, attorney, philanthropist and social justice advocate. She’s also been a “warrior for change” since she was 9 years old.

By Kaylin Jorge

In a rare moment, Marshall University First Lady Alys Smith is not in motion as she sits in the president’s house, a stately home overlooking Ritter Park into which she and husband Brad have breathed new life. Although taking a break between meetings, Alys is still working — sitting down for an interview the morning before Marshall’s annual Green and White Game while also preparing for an event at her new residence after moving to Huntington from Menlo Park, California. Guests will arrive to a vibrant front porch that gives a glimpse of how much life is changing there — as well as for many in Huntington — as the Smiths usher in a new era. Although being at the helm of countless events comes with the job title, Alys is much more than just the active first lady of Marshall University. She is first and foremost a mother to two daughters: Devon, a recruiter at a tech company in northern California, and Payton, who followed her parents to Huntington and is working as a prosecutor in Cabell County.

“Everywhere I go, somebody stops me to tell me that they have just worked with Payton in court, and they are so impressed. And I am just so proud of what she is doing,” Alys said. “Devon is still in northern California. She is killing it out there. She and her husband are super happy, and they have such a great relationship.”

Alys and Brad’s daughters’ success makes all the more sense seeing as how both parents live life purposefully, fight for change passionately and never shy away from a challenge. One look at Alys’ impressive resume shows how hard she is working to make a positive difference. She’s the co-founder of a nonprofit giving back to Appalachia, serves on several boards and represents foster kids in abuse and neglect cases as a licensed attorney in West Virginia. Alys earned her undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University in 1983 and a J.D. from the University of Akron School of Law in 1986, a degree she hoped would help her “lead a life of purpose,” she said. She is a staunch supporter of women in all walks of life, a social justice advocate, a prolific giver, a promoter of education and an outdoor enthusiast.

From a young age, the Akron, Ohio, native has been a champion of empowerment, especially in the gender rights arena — a passion fueled first by her childhood. Growing up as the daughter of second-generation immigrants (her paternal grandfather from what is now Ukraine and her paternal grandmother from Poland), Alys had a very traditional upbringing.

“My mom didn’t work after she had us,” Alys said, referring to her identical twin sister and younger brother. “She had planned to be a doctor but was denied entry into Ohio State’s medical school because of her gender, and that was always a big issue for us.”

Things have certainly changed since then. Alys’ sister is a physician in Ohio, the career that their mother could only dream of but never accomplish. Growing up with a mother who dreamt of a freer future for women, Alys said she and her sister were naturally “warriors for change.”

“At age 9, we wanted to play T-ball, but we weren’t allowed because we were girls,” Alys recalled. “When we would mention it to our dad, a trial attorney, he would say, ‘Well, you know, that’s just the way it is.’ My mom was willing to fight with us every time. Even though we fought, the end result was the same: we weren’t allowed to play, even though we were better athletes. It just didn’t sit well with us.”

Throughout her career, including working for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and being a licensed attorney in multiple states, Alys said she has pushed for women’s rights in the face of gender inequality and instances of sexual harassment.

“I ended up becoming a trial lawyer, no big surprise, always fighting for gender equality and hoping to make a difference,” Alys said. “Brad always jokes, ‘You’re a warrior looking for a war,’ because wherever he sees something that seems just fine, I’ll say, ‘Wait a minute, what about the women?’”

In addition to her successful professional career, Alys has let her heart lead the way, launching philanthropic efforts with her husband such as the Wing 2 Wing Foundation, a program that encourages entrepreneurship in rural West Virginia.

“We’ve tried for years to even the playing field in Appalachia for all people, the underserved, the overlooked,” she said. “The Wing 2 Wing Foundation is all about education, because that is the great equalizer. We want to support those entrepreneurs who are trying to do good things for the Appalachian region.”

The couple also founded Ascend West Virginia, a program that incentivizes remote workers to come to the Mountain State so they can work where they play.

“The Ascenders are some of the greatest ambassadors for West Virginia that you’ll ever meet,” she said. “We have a 98% success rate of them staying here. It’s going well, and we’re going to continue moving forward with it.”

Supporting West Virginia — and especially Marshall — has been a longtime passion for Brad and Alys. They donated more than $35 million to

Marshall and $25 million to West Virginia University before they even settled in the Mountain State. Despite their passion for the Appalachian region, however, it took decades of a prolific career elsewhere to finally lead them back to the land that held their hearts.

“Brad and I have moved seven times in 12 years for jobs across the country,” Alys said. “I had to keep taking bar exams. I have been admitted to the bars in four states now, including West Virginia.”

After all of those moves, the couple landed in California when Brad accepted a position at Intuit in 2003. When he was named CEO of the company in 2008, Alys took a step back from her professional career to focus on family.

“It was just a time for me to stay home and take care of my two daughters, who had moved enough and needed a stabilizing force in their lives,” Alys said. “I did a lot of volunteering in schools; I was a mentor for young, at-risk women; I was a court-appointed special advocate. I kept really busy. I was very involved with my girls, and I have absolutely no regrets about that. My girls have truly turned out to be vibrant, brilliant, strong women who can stand on their own.”

For 18 years, the family built a nice, comfortable life in California, Alys said. But when a door opened at Marshall with the opportunity for Brad to be president of his alma mater, it gave the couple a chance to take the next step in helping West Virginia. By putting boots on the ground, Alys explained, they could help lead the transformation taking place at the university, in Huntington and across the state.

“As first lady, I have a platform to make a difference in the lives of others,” she said. “In particular, I have more access and more opportunities to find ways to help women here in Appalachia.”

Now that she’s here, in addition to her work as an attorney, Alys is very involved in the community and at Marshall, particularly in areas that empower women.

“I think the women here are one of West Virginia’s greatest assets,” she said. “I have met women from all walks of life, and they’re all doers. They are so community focused, with the desire to improve Marshall University, Huntington and the state.”

At Marshall, Alys helped in the search for a Title IX director and established a women’s symposium alongside Dr. Hilary Brewster, associate professor of English and director of the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies program at the university.

“Alys believes very much that women have so much to offer in terms of community building, professional success and mentorship,” Brewster said. “She is really big on mentorship, which is one of the areas we focus on at the symposium.”

The two have worked closely on many events, including the Women Warriors Summit slated for Oct. 6 at Mountain Health Arena that will focus on “courageous conversations” and giving women the tools they need to succeed at work and in their daily lives. Alys has enlisted the star power of actress Nicole Kidman to serve as the keynote speaker and Soledad O’Brien to serve as the host and emcee.

“This summit will be a powerful day for women to learn new skills and to hear they aren’t alone. A lot of the problems that they have, others have,” Alys explained. “I find that women, no matter their station in life, have so much in common.”

With every event, every speech and every woman and child she helps, Alys’ message is getting stronger. It’s a message guided by her belief that a couple, working together, can help change the way the community sees leadership at Marshall.

“Brad and I are so happy to be here, and we’re working together to help move the needle further at Marshall,” Alys said. “I think today we’re living the most meaningful, purposeful life we’ve ever lived.”