TMI

(Too Much Information)

Bio:

I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1965. My family (Ed and Abigail Redman and my older brother Todd) moved to Morganton in 1972.

I attended Forest Hill Elementary School for first and second grades (Mrs. Richardson and Mrs. Baker were my teachers). I attended Mountain View Elementary from third grade through sixth grade (some of my teachers: Thelma Luciana, Sheila Stroupe, Kaye Irvin, Effie Williams, Ann Freeman, Belinda Woody). I then attended Morganton Junior High and Freedom High School and graduated in 1984.

I attended Wake Forest University from 1984 to 1987 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. I got married, moved to Morganton and had a son (Hank Shell), and then decided to go to law school in Macon, Georgia at Mercer University School of Law (1991). After two years at Mercer, my son and I left Georgia and I attended my third year of law school at Wake Forest University. I had my son Grant (Shell) in January of that third year. My marriage only survived two years of law school, so the third year of law school I was a single mother of two small children.

I graduated from Mercer's law school, passed the NC Bar Exam, and joined a small office practice in Winston-Salem. Most of our work was Real Estate, Estate Administration and Domestic Law. While I lived in Winston-Salem, I realized that I could not offer my children the life there that they deserved. A single parent with no close support, I realized that my children were suffering due to my long work hours, and decided to move back home to Morganton.

When I moved back to Morganton in 1996, I was fortunate to be able to work at Environmental Inks and Coatings with my father, Ed, and my brother, Todd Redman. This job has allowed me to keep “regular hours” rather than what I had been used to in Winston-Salem, and I have held that job ever since. I work for a different CEO and different executives than I worked for when I came to EIC. I work as general counsel (in house attorney), and some of the things I do include writing contracts, forming policy, advising business executives about potential legal issues and overseeing personnel.

In 1997 I married Joe Thomas, an airline pilot. Joe is the son of one of Morganton’s most beloved residents – Dr. Jim Thomas (yes, he was my pediatrician, too!) and his wonderful wife, Mary. Together Joe and I are parents/step-parents of 4 bright young men – the three oldest of whom are a year a part. My children and step-children have attended Forest Hill Elementary, Liberty Middle School, Walter Johnson Middle School, Freedom High School and Patton High School.

The three oldest all graduated from Freedom High School. Joey is currently a rising junior at UNC-A, Hank is a rising sophomore at Appalachian, and Frank will be a rising freshman at Appalachian. Grant attended Forest Hill through fifth grade, Walter Johnson Middle School, and now is attending Patton High School as a rising sophomore.

My education in Burke County – first grade through high school graduation – enabled me to achieve the post-high school educational goals I sought. Burke County's education is allowing my sons to do the same. Every school system needs improvement, and I certainly recognize that Burke County is no exception, but I am more than satisfied with the education my children and I received in the Burke County school system.