Meridith A. Balas, Ph.D.

Expertise

Meridith A. Balas is a faculty member in the Hardy Family Hospitality and Tourism Program at West Virginia University, where she serves as Director of the Nemacolin Hospitality Lab. With over 15 years of combined experience in higher education leadership and hospitality, Balas excels at connecting academic concepts with practical, real-world applications. She leads students through hands-on learning initiatives, guiding them in experiential hospitality projects and collaborating with industry leaders. As Director, she oversees the Van Scoy Fellowship and Nemacolin Ambassadorship programs, develops recruitment pipelines for future Mountaineers, and is currently expanding WVU’s badge program for luxury hospitality and business leadership. Balas’s work aligns closely with WVU’s land-grant mission by enhancing student career preparation and advancing regional partnerships within the hospitality and tourism industry.

Balas’s professional journey includes leading large-scale event planning and client management at both West Virginia University and Disney Institute, where she facilitated leadership, customer service, and business development programs for a global clientele, including Fortune 500 companies. At Disney Institute, she played an instrumental role in designing curricula that allowed learners to apply leadership concepts directly in the immersive environments of Disney theme parks, such as EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. By utilizing these iconic locations as living classrooms, Balas helped clients, interns, and lifelong learners engage with real-world challenges, enhancing their understanding of leadership, service, and operational excellence. Her deep passion for storytelling and guest experience was exemplified in her development of training programs for Disney’s Backstage Magic tour leaders, where she hosted exclusive tours throughout the parks. These tours focused on business applications, behind-the-scenes operations, and the strategic execution of Disney’s holiday magic, all while highlighting the intricate balance between storytelling and service that defines the Disney brand.

In addition to her experience at Disney, Balas has cultivated a career in alumni relations at West Virginia University, where she led the development and execution of major events designed to deepen relationships with key stakeholders. She partnered with travel companies such as Orbridge and GoHagan to curate exclusive, customized travel experiences for alumni, blending her expertise in event planning, customer service, and hospitality.

Balas played a pivotal role at the University of Georgia, where she oversaw the New Student Orientation Program, helping thousands of students and their families successfully transition to college life. Additionally, Balas’s work in Residence Life at both the University of Georgia and Pennsylvania State University connected students’ residential environments with their academic and social lives, creating a comprehensive living-learning experience that enhanced student engagement, fostered a sense of community, and contributed to retention and student success.

As an educator, Balas has taught undergraduate and graduate students at multiple land-grant universities. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes inclusivity and critical thinking, encouraging students to solve real-world problems. Balas has delivered courses on leadership, diversity and inclusion, and tourism management, informed by her research and industry background. Her dedication to student success has earned several awards, including the WVU Core Values Coin, NODA Mentor of the Year, Insight to Diversity Award, and New Professional of the Year, among others.

In addition to her academic and professional roles, Balas is an active community leader, serving as a commissioner on the city’s parks and recreation board (BOPARC) and as a board member of Sheldon Calvary Camp. She also serves on the Morgantown Health and Wellness Commission, United Way Emerging Leaders Steering Committee, and continues to assist with Leadership Monongalia County.

A leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion, Balas has spearheaded workplace culture initiatives and graduate-level courses on the subject, positioning her as a trusted advocate in organizational development. Her consulting work in marketing and creative storytelling helps institutions and businesses to innovate and grow. Her unique blend of academic insight and industry expertise equips her students to excel in the dynamic and evolving fields of hospitality, tourism, and business.

Education

Ph.D. in Higher Education, West Virginia University

M.Ed. in College Student Affairs Administration, The University of Georgia

B.A. in Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Management, The Pennsylvania State University

Certificate in Business Law, Cornell University Law School