Southern West Virginia News

WVU Alumni Association Board of Directors welcomes two new members

Two accomplished West Virginia University alumni, Veronique Vernot and Rodney Williams, are the newest members of the WVU Alumni Association Board of Directors. Elected during the November meeting, each will serve a six-year term expiring in 2028.

“We are excited to have Veronique and Rodney join the Board of Directors. They each bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will help us to engage and support the WVU network around the globe,” said Darren Feeley, chair of the WVU Alumni Association Board.

Veronique Vernot

Veronique Vernot (‘17) earned a dual JD/MBA from College of Law and the John Chambers College of Business and Economics. She is an internationally recognized attorney who serves as legal counsel for Apple Inc., focusing on product integrity, product safety and AppleCare. Her previous role with the company involved global supply chain transactions and environmental technologies. For her efforts, she was selected as a 2022 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Pathfinder.

She previously served as a litigator for Mercedes-Benz USA and handled class action and product liability matters. She also has represented the IRS Office of Chief Counsel in U.S. Tax Court. 

As a law student, she was awarded the W.E.B. Du Bois Fellowship for her scholastic and community service achievements. Additionally, she served her law school as a member of the Moot Court Team, as a student ambassador with the Office of Admissions, and as a student representative with the College of Law visiting committee. Vernot completed her BBA in marketing at Mercer University in 2014. She currently resides in the Bay Area of California.

Rodney Williams

Rodney Williams (‘06, ‘08) is a graduate of the John Chambers College of Business and Economics with degrees in business administration and finance and the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences with a degree in economics. He also holds a master’s degree in integrated marketing and communications from the Reed College of Media.

Williams is the co-founder and president of SoLo Funds, a financial service company offering community banking and lending solutions to Americans in communities that may face hurdles to traditional banking options. Prior to founding SoLo, he launched LISNR, a Visa-backed fintech company, and secured numerous awards and partnerships across retail and financial services. He currently serves as the company’s chairperson.

Williams began his career at Procter & Gamble in brand management where he was a critical catalyst in the company’s digital strategy in e-commerce and social media. Williams was named Ad Age’s “40 Under 40” in 2012; received the Cannes Gold Lion award in 2015; and was chosen for the CNBC “Disruptor 50” List in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. He is a member of the 2019 Class of Henry Crown Fellows within the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute. He holds an MBA from Howard University. Originally from Baltimore, Williams currently resides in Los Angeles.

“Rodney and Veronique are strong representatives of our University’s values and excellent examples of what it means to be a Mountaineer,” said Kevin Berry, vice president for Alumni Relations and CEO of the Alumni Association. “We are grateful to have them connected with WVU as members of our Board of Directors, and for their service and commitment to our alma mater.”

The WVU Alumni Association was organized in 1873 and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in 1977.  It is the oldest University affiliate serving its largest constituency. 

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