Abbey

Before transitioning to law, I spent 15 years in the music business—nine of those years touring with bands in production support. I did everything from tour catering and personal cheffing to backstage coordinating and tour managing. It was an incredible experience that took me across the United States and Canada and introduced me to many wonderful people who remain close friends today.

In my mid-30s, I decided to step off the road to create a more stable life and make space for starting my own family. Between touring and law school, I worked for a music merchandise company while also running my own graphic design and stationery business for five years.

Now as a lawyer, I still hold onto those creative passions—I draw and design in my free time and cook every day. And I’ve never stopped traveling, making it a priority to visit a new country every few years.

I own a two-bedroom condo just a few blocks from our town’s downtown pedestrian mall. After work or on weekends, I often walk to the library, a coffee shop, or a restaurant, and sometimes catch a show or movie with friends. My office is only three blocks away, which makes my commute wonderfully easy. I feel grateful to live in such a walkable community, with several schools and daycare facilities within a ten-minute walk of home.

Two important members of my family are my rescue cats, Gina and Chan, who travel everywhere with me. Chan especially would love a new person to snuggle—he can never get enough attention. They’re my best friends and were constant companions during law school and the pandemic.

I’m lucky to be the oldest of five children. My mom, Melissa, and stepdad, Phill, live in West Virginia, while my brother Eddis and my sister Margaret, along with her wife, Ash, also live nearby in Tucker County. I see them every few weeks. My brother Walter, his wife Beth, and their son Harkey live in Lexington, Kentucky, and we often meet halfway in Charleston, WV—where our father, Charles, lives—to enjoy local favorites like pepperoni rolls and Tudor’s Biscuits (everyone’s favorite!).

My youngest brother, Sam, and his partner, Clark, live in Seattle with their two sons, Uly and Avi. I visit them once a year, and Clark’s parents, Amy and Bruce, are always generous enough to host me—my “in-law outlaws.”

Family time is one of my greatest joys. Whether we’re cooking together, eating at my sisters’ restaurant (which specializes in world cuisines), walking dogs, thrift shopping, or playing games, we always find ways to laugh and connect. Many of us have rescue animals thanks to Maggie’s years running an animal rescue, so there’s never a shortage of furry friends either. My whole family is beyond thrilled to welcome a new child into our circle.