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Moundsville Mayor Sara Wood-Shaw recently was named a West Virginia Wonder Woman for her work to improve the community.
Wood-Shaw said she was honored to receive the accolade presented by WV Living Magazine during an induction ceremony held in November.
"I was very honored to be nominated and selected as a West Virginia Wonder Woman for 2023," she said. "I was born and raised in this state and I moved back in 2016 to participate in the growth and community development in Moundsville."
She noted she had been working outside of the United States and felt a "deep pull to return home and work in community development in a local capacity."
Wood-Shaw became mayor in 2022 and was elected to City Council in 2018.
"Since 2016, I have been working with nonprofit organizations in our community aimed at providing resources for families and children, substance use prevention, workforce development, and more," she said. "In 2018 I decided to run for Moundsville City Council and I took office in January 2019. Serving the residents of Moundsville as a councilperson and now mayor has been my greatest honor.
"I am extremely proud of the work that council, administration, and city departments have completed in the past five years," she continued.
She said some of the work has included improvements to parks and playgrounds; assistance programs to businesses, nonprofits and homeowners; free programs via the Moundsville Arts & Culture Commission; improvements to the business district including new lighting and benches; repaving of streets and infrastructure work; recycling programs; and creating new community partnerships.
"We have exciting plans for the future and I am thankful I get to be part of this development daily," Wood-Shaw said. "All of my work with council and with my nonprofit employers has been aimed at continuing to improve Moundsville and Marshall County.
"The sky is the limit to what we can achieve in Moundsville and bring to our community when we have people committed to putting in the work," she added.
Wood-Shaw said is also excited that she and her husband, Holden Shaw, will be having a new baby next spring.
"I am so proud and excited that in May 2024 my husband and I will have the opportunity to raise our baby girl in the community that I care so deeply about and have worked to improve," she said.
Wood-Shaw graduated from John Marshall High School in 2007. She went on to receive a bachelor's degree from West Virginia University in 2011 and a master's degree in public administration in 2013.
She worked as a program coordinator and site facilitator for Amizade Global Service-Learning until 2016, working in Ghana, Tanzania, and Washington, D.C. She went on to work with Jobs & Hope WV and now works for the Marshall County Family Resource Network.
"Nominations for Wonder Woman are anonymous, and each year's class is selected from the list of nominations," she added. "I work hard for Moundsville and I love my community, so to be recognized as a West Virginia woman positively making an impact is very special to me."
Wood-Shaw also serves on a variety of boards and committees including as chairwoman of the Moundsville Arts & Culture Commission; co-chairwoman of the Moundsville Community Education and Engagement Committee; Co-County Lead for WV "Save a Life" Day Naloxone Distribution; RISE Substance Use Prevention Community Coalition member; Rotary Impact International member; Marshall County Post-Overdose Response Team member; Belomar Regional Council Associate Board Meeting member; and Marshall County Adult Education and CTE Advisory Board member.