In this episode of What Makes You Wonderful, we talk with Erin Noon from Charleston Area Alliance to discuss the upcoming Elevations luncheon. This event highlights the achievements and stories of women leaders in the military.
The luncheon is slated Wednesday, Nov. 13 at Embassy Suites in Charleston and offers an inspiring lineup of speakers and provides attendees with a chance to connect and network. Erin also shares how Charleston Area Alliance supports the local business community and the resources available.
For more information you can go to their website: https://charlestonareaalliance.org/
Text Version
Tiffney
It's time for the What Makes You Wonderful podcast! Hey there everyone! I'm your host, Tiffney Lopez, and this is where we talk about what makes Almost Heaven amazing. Be sure to check out the hashtag WMYW to find all the cool things that we talk about right here on the podcast. Today, we're going to talk about an event called Elevations. It's November 13th at Embassy Suites in Charleston, and I'd like to introduce all of you to Erin Noon. She's the Communications and Events Coordinator at Charleston Area Alliance. Erin, thank you so much for being here.
Erin
Tiffney, thank you so much for having me. I'm really, really excited to be here today
Tiffney
And I'm excited for what we're getting ready to talk about. It's this Elevations luncheon. This is pretty exciting.
Erin
Absolutely. Elevations is a series that we do periodically throughout the year, usually quarterly, and it features female speakers and unites Charleston's professionals, both women and men, to learn and be inspired by the journeys, challenges, and accomplishments of strong female leaders and role models. So this upcoming one is, like you said, November 13th, and it's going to be at Embassy Suites, and we're going to actually feature four women who are in the military—two who are currently serving and two who have served and have since gotten out of the military.
They are Brigadier General Michaelle Munger. She's the Special Assistant to the Adjutant General of West Virginia, Major Caroline Muriama, and she's the West Virginia National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion Commander. And then we have Lee Ann Haley, who was a former Army captain, and Mara Boggs , who is a former Army major and very distinguished. Inspiring women who I think will share some really cool stories and insights from their time in the military.
Tiffney
What do events like this provide for people when they come and they hear these speakers? What do you see happening by the end of it?
Erin
I think it really inspires those who are in the room, and it gives them an opportunity to relate to maybe something that they've been through or take away a message of resilience and perseverance. And it gives women—and men alike—an opportunity to network with one another and see what everybody's going through and what they have going on in their personal lives and professional lives. It's a really good way to connect with someone and take something away from it, whether it's, you know, you're inspired by their story or something that they've done in the past. Just taking away something with you is really the goal.
Tiffney
Like you said, this isn't the only event you have. But for those who don't know, Charleston Area Alliance is a way that you guys bring businesses together, right? Explain to me how that works.
Erin
We're a very unique organization. We bring all of our county's community and economic development communities together, and then we're also a traditional Chamber of Commerce. We're all under one roof. We were built on a legacy of three different organizations that came together back in 2004. We're on our 20th anniversary and we really try to bring the business community together and have them have an alliance with one another.
Tiffney
What's your favorite part about whether it's events like this or being part of that larger networking? What's your favorite part about doing all this?
Erin
I think just being out in the community, you know, meeting different people, seeing what they're going through, and learning about, you know, economic and community development. It's not something that I was familiar with when I took this role. And I think learning about the different challenges that the business community faces, whether it's a large corporation or a small, small little business that started from the ground up. They all do share common, you know, goals and struggles alike. So it's been really fun just to get out there and learn about the business community.
Tiffney
And you guys have those resources to help each business. So my next question is whether somebody is interested in this event that's happening November 13th or they're just interested in the Charleston Area Alliance. Where can they go for more information?
Erin
I would say the easiest way to check us out would be to go to CharlestonAreaAlliance.org. We have all of our information on there, stuff that we've done in the past, stuff that we're currently doing. We have a community calendar of events like Elevations and other things that we have going on, or stuff that our members post on there. So that's probably the easiest way to check us out or just call (304) 340-4253 and ask for any of our staff members. We're a small but mighty team, and we're willing to help out in any capacity that we can.
Tiffney
I like it, "small but mighty." Just like West Virginia.
Erin
You're right!
Tiffney
Erin, thank you so much for being here today. And thank you for telling us what makes you wonderful.
Erin
Thanks for having me, Tiffney. I had fun.
What Makes You Wonderful is a feature of the daily304, your window into wonderful Almost Heaven, West Virginia. You can find us online at wv.gov/daily304 or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. And you can subscribe to this podcast wherever you get all your podcasts so you can catch new episodes of What Makes You Wonderful each week. Remember, you can find us at wv.gov/daily304. That's all for now. It's time to go explore the Mountain State. We'll see you next week. And thank you for making West Virginia wonderful.
