Abbie completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Pittsburgh where she majored in Environmental Studies with a focus on late Holocene climate change in Greece and Kazakhstan.  After graduation, she worked at an environmental testing facility as a water and soil chemist.  In the fall of 2009, Abbie quit her job and moved to rural China to teach English.  Currently, Abbie is finishing up her Master's degree in Public Policy.  She is studying community forests in rural America.