Leslie Bicksler, Hilary Miller, Sherri Young honored
WV Press Release Sharing
LEWISBURG, W.Va. – Three women affiliated with the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) have been recognized for their work throughout the state.
Leslie Bicksler, MSW, WVSOM’s vice president of human resources; Hilary Miller, D.O., MPH, a WVSOM graduate and physician at Little Kanawha Family Medicine, a private practice in Glenville, W.Va.; and Sherri Young, D.O., MBA, FAAFP, a WVSOM graduate and cabinet secretary of the West Virginia Department of Health, have each been named to this year’s “West Virginia Wonder Women” by WV Living magazine.
They are three of 50 women featured in the publication’s fall 2023 issue, having been identified by the magazine as “raising the bar in their communities, serving as beacons of light in their industries and forcing change for the greater good.”
“I’ve known previous wonder women, and I really look up to them. When you become part of a class of people you respect and admire, it makes you feel fortunate to be in that group with them,” Bicksler said of her recognition.
Bicksler is a Lewisburg native and has a master’s degree in social work, which proved to be the impetus for her transition from her position of executive director of the United Way of the Greenbrier Valley to work in human resources. She began a career in human resources at First National Bank in Ronceverte, W.Va., before joining WVSOM in 2005. She currently serves as the school’s vice president of human resources as well as its equal opportunity and ADA coordinator.
Bicksler said overseeing the personnel at the state’s largest medical school and one of Greenbrier County’s largest employers is gratifying because it allows her to help connect individuals to their ideal job.
“I like getting to know people. I like getting the right people in the right jobs. Interviewing, hiring and onboarding is my favorite part of working in human resources,” she said.
As part of her role, Bicksler strives to ensure that the school has the faculty and staff to educate West Virginia’s future physicians. She has helped provide the personnel that has made the institution a leader in rural health care throughout West Virginia, as evidenced by the 64 percent of physicians practicing in rural areas of West Virginia who are WVSOM graduates.
One WVSOM graduate and “Wonder Woman” recipient is Miller, who earned her medical degree from WVSOM in 2002.
“I was surprised at being chosen for this statewide recognition,” Miller said. “As women, we work hard every day with no expectation of accolades. I come from a family and community full of wonder women who quietly make the world a better place. I think it is imperative to recognize women throughout the state for the positive impact they are having on our communities. We are living in unprecedented times and with the constant uncertainty in our world, women hold together the fabric of our families, communities, churches, traditions, health care and schools.”
After graduating from medical school, Miller completed a residency at United Hospital Center in Clarksburg, W.Va. In 2004, she moved back to her hometown of Glenville, where she began operating her own practice, Little Kanawha Family Medicine. Miller and her husband, Eddie Anderson, D.O., live in Glenville with their children, Kaitlyn, Kara and Kolton Anderson.
Outside her professional responsibilities, Miller advocates for better educating West Virginia’s students. She is a member of the Board of Education for Gilmer County and works closely with schools. One of her goals is to improve the academic proficiency and career-readiness of students.
“Our children should leave high school fully prepared to enter the job market or enter higher education,” she said. “During the last year, we have made monumental strides toward that goal.”
Young has proven her commitment to positive change in West Virginia through years working in public health. The newly formed West Virginia Department of Health is one of three departments that will replace the Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) in January 2024 as mandated by the passage of West Virginia House Bill 2006.
Young said she has enjoyed diving into her new role.
“What I love most about my role as cabinet secretary is ‘opportunity.’ As we restructure DHHR, we have the opportunity to make a tremendous impact on West Virginians. This allows us to focus on programs that deliver essential public health and other resources to the public.”
She said it was an honor to be named among so many other women who have made positive strides in the state.
“I’m grateful to WV Living magazine for highlighting these women and the impact they are making in their communities,” Young said. “These ‘Wonder Women’ should be celebrated for their achievements to inspire others to serve.”
After graduating from WVSOM in 2003, Young completed a family medicine residency at Charleston Area Medical Center. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Young has dedicated a significant part of her career to health policy roles, seeking ways to improve the care patients receive and address the challenges they face in becoming healthier.
She said better health requires an investment in our communities.
“We live, work and play in our communities,” Young said. “To give back is to make an investment in the future for ourselves and generations to come. It truly takes a village.”
WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., said there are many “wonder women” like Bicksler, Miller and Young who work to make the state a better place.
“We have three great examples of women who prove how WVSOM community members do it all,” he said. “Dr. Miller is a beloved physician in her hometown, and Dr. Young’s experience in public health is second to none. These women are the type of doctors we train our medical students to become. Leslie is not only a successful leader at WVSOM but has been an active member of the Lewisburg community for many years. I’m happy that WV Living has recognized these women for their achievements along with other exceptional women in our wild, wonderful state of West Virginia.”
WV Living will honor the recipients at a West Virginia Wonder Women event on Nov. 1 in Charleston, W.Va.
WVSOM is a national leader in educating osteopathic physicians for primary care medicine in rural areas. Visit WVSOM online at www.wvsom.edu.