Gayle Conelly Manchin Career and Personal Life

Gayle Conelly Manchin is an American educator who served as the first day of West Virginia and is currently the Federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission. She is the wife of the current U.S. Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Gayle was the first lady of West Virginia and was nominated by Joe Biden to work with Appalachia community for development.

Gayle Conelly Manchin’s Career and Partner

From 2013 to 2014, she was the president of the West Virginia Board of Education Arts. She’s been on the faculty of Fairmont Stae University, an educator in Marion County Schools, and director of AmeriCorps Promise Fellows in West Virginia for four years from 2000. She was on the West Virginia Board of Education from 2007 to 2015 and was the board’s president for two terms before being elected President of the West Virginia Board of Education in 2013 and served for two years.

She served as the secretary of Education and Arts in West Virginia in 2017 but was unfortunately terminated in 2018. She landed the role of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). By 2021, she was the chair and was sanctioned by the Chinese government over her recommendations for the United States Government to partner with sanctioned Chinese officials in the human rights abuses committee.

Manchin is the current Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission aiming to increase broadband access and infrastructure, create economic opportunities, and bring hope and purpose across the state. This made her the first ARC federal co-chair from West Virginia. She helped found the WV Public Educational Collaborative and was the board chair. She was nominated by President Biden, to work with the 13 ARC’s governors, program managers, and state alternates through Appalachia to grow the community.

Manchin’s husband, Joe Manchin, is a former governor making her the first lady of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010, and currently serves as a US senator in West Virginia.   When her husband was serving his term, she was working as the chairperson of West Virginia Citizens Council on Children and Families and Governors Health Lifestyles Coalition.

Details of Gayle Conelly Manchin’s Personal Life

Manchin was born in Beckley West Virginia and attended Woodrow Wilson High School. She went for her Bachelor of Arts in language arts and education at West Virginia University and continued for a master of Arts in reading. Her second master’s degree, in educational technology leadership, is from Salem International University.  Manchin married Joe Manchin in 1967 and had three children, Heather, Joseph IV, and Brooke. She lives with her family in Fairmont, West Virginia.

Joe Manchin is an American politician serving as the senior senator in West Virginia and businessman. He was sworn in the US Senate by Joe Bide, then vice president, in 2010. He has been the only Democrat to hold congressional and statewide partisan office in West Virginia and recently registered as a Democrat. Joe Manchin controlled 50% of AA Property, which he listed as a nonpublic asset on his financial disclosures. He has invested with Emerald Coast Realty that owns La Quinta hotel in Elkview, west Virginia. His family owns and operates the coal brokage company which he helped found and served as president of Ener systems.