Jody moved to Mercer Island in 2011 with her husband, David, and two daughters, Hannah and Audrey, relocating from Washington, DC where she had practiced as a lawyer for 18 years – first as a Department of Justice legal fellow and a law clerk on the DC Court of Appeals and the US Supreme Court, and later in private practice at law firms for 16 years. She litigated criminal and civil cases involving regulatory or criminal investigations by the federal government at both the trial and appellate levels, and represented financial institutions in complex civil disputes. After moving to Washington, Jody resigned from private practice to concentrate on developing community ties here. She sought volunteer leadership positions at various Mercer Island and greater Seattle non- profits, including Girl Scouts of Western Washington; MIFC Board member and girls soccer coach for two teams; girls basketball coach at the MI Boys and Girls Club, a 6 year MIYFS Board member of the MIYFS Foundation, and as a volunteer for the Mercer Island schools, PTAs and the band program. She is also active in Do The Work, promoting racial equity education and fellowship.