Stacy Carey, Recognized By Influential Women, Brings Clarity And Purpose To Law, Travel, And Community Leadership

BARBOURSVILLE, WV, UNITED STATES, October 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- West Virginia Judicial Law Clerk, Travel Entrepreneur, and Community Advocate Builds a Career Around Service, Connection, and Opportunity

Barboursville, West Virginia – Stacy Carey, an attorney, judicial law clerk, entrepreneur, and community advocate, has spent nearly two decades working within West Virginia’s judicial system. Her career has been shaped by a commitment to careful analysis, accountability, and public service. She has carried those same values into entrepreneurship, travel planning, and community advocacy.

Since 2009, she has served as a judicial law clerk in West Virginia’s Sixth Judicial Circuit, first for the Honorable Alfred E. Ferguson until his retirement in December 2024, and then for the Honorable Chad S. Lovejoy beginning in January 2025. Her responsibilities include legal research, analyzing motions and filings, and drafting proposed court orders and other judicial documents. Her work supports judicial decision-making across a wide range of civil, criminal, juvenile, and appellate matters.

Alongside her legal career, Stacy founded Carey-ed Away Travel in 2018, is developing She Wanders Anyway, a women’s travel community, and co-founded Common Thread Connections, Inc., a West Virginia nonprofit dedicated to removing barriers to meaningful shared experiences that strengthen relationships and foster belonging.

Stacy earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Toledo College of Law and is admitted to practice law in West Virginia and before the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. She also holds a Regents Bachelor of Arts with a minor in psychology from Marshall University and an Associate of Applied Science in Travel and Tourism from Ohio University Southern. Her academic interests extend beyond her formal education to leadership, procedural justice, organizational change, and the role institutions play in shaping people’s lives.

Stacy founded Carey-ed Away Travel to help people experience more of the world without becoming overwhelmed by the planning involved. The boutique travel agency specializes in customized international itineraries, group travel, cruises, and immersive experiences tailored to clients’ individual interests and travel styles. Drawing on specialized industry training, extensive firsthand travel experience, and a practical understanding of the logistics involved, she helps clients turn ambitious travel ideas into thoughtfully planned journeys. For Stacy, travel is about more than visiting destinations or checking places off a bucket list. It’s about experiencing different cultures, gaining perspective, building connections, and creating memories that last long after the trip ends.

That belief in the power of travel also inspired Stacy to create She Wanders Anyway, a women’s travel community set to launch in late 2026. Recognizing how often women put their travel dreams on hold, Stacy designed the community for those who are done waiting for the perfect circumstances, the perfect time, or the perfect travel companion. Through thoughtfully organized group experiences, She Wanders Anyway will bring together women who share a sense of curiosity and adventure. More than a travel group, Stacy envisions a welcoming community where women can form genuine friendships, travel confidently, and experience the world on their own terms.

Stacy’s commitment to strengthening relationships and creating meaningful experiences also extends to her nonprofit work. As co-founder and secretary of Common Thread Connections, Inc., she is helping build an organization dedicated to removing barriers that prevent children and families from sharing important moments. Those experiences might include a family outing to an amusement park, a weekend getaway that allows parents and children to reconnect, or an opportunity for siblings separated by difficult circumstances to spend meaningful time together. Whether those obstacles involve financial hardship, geographic separation, or challenging family circumstances, the organization’s mission is to create opportunities that foster belonging, deepen relationships, and build lasting bonds. At its heart is a simple belief: meaningful connections shouldn’t depend on someone’s circumstances or ability to pay.

Stacy credits much of her determination and entrepreneurial spirit to the example set by her family. Her father demonstrated the importance of hard work and responsibility, often driving two hours each way to work or spending weeks away from home to provide for his family. She also watched her mother and stepfather build a successful business from humble beginnings. What started with a single bubble gum machine in a local grocery store eventually grew into a business operating across West Virginia, Ohio, and Illinois. Their success allowed them to leave their jobs and devote themselves to growing the business full-time. Being involved from a young age gave Stacy a firsthand understanding of entrepreneurship, including the risks, sacrifices, persistence, and problem-solving required to turn a small idea into something much bigger.

Stacy’s love of learning was shaped by both of her grandmothers. She shared a love of reading with her Grandma Jean, who encouraged her curiosity from an early age, while her Grandma Nina, a preschool teacher’s aide, supported her education and made her believe she could accomplish anything. Stacy went on to become the first person in her family to graduate from college and eventually earned a law degree. Growing up in rural West Virginia, she also witnessed the effects of poverty, addiction, and limited opportunities on families in her community. Those experiences continue to shape her perspective and her desire to make a positive difference in the state she calls home.

The best career advice Stacy has received is simple: be someone who does what they say they will do. That principle has guided her throughout her professional life, particularly in the legal field, where personal opinions must often take a back seat to the law and the facts. Working alongside judges throughout her career has reinforced the importance of diligence, sound judgment, and attention to detail. She particularly appreciates Judge Lovejoy’s emphasis on getting things right the first time, even when that requires slowing down and taking a more deliberate approach. His philosophy reinforces her belief that the time spent doing something carefully and thoroughly is time well spent, especially when people’s freedom, families, and futures may be affected by the outcome.

Stacy encourages young women entering the legal profession to recognize that they don’t have to change who they are to succeed. Legal practice demands confidence, critical thinking, and technical skill, but empathy, perspective, and emotional intelligence are strengths, not liabilities. Her advice is to know your abilities, do the work, and never confuse being taken seriously with becoming someone you’re not.

Stacy sees the growing shortage of attorneys as one of the most pressing challenges facing West Virginia’s legal system. The issue was discussed at a statewide judicial law clerk conference she attended in the spring of 2026 and was subsequently highlighted in an August report from the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia’s Commission on the Future of the Practice of Law. The report found that 46 of the state’s 55 counties qualify as legal deserts, while the number of active, in-state attorneys has declined and access to legal representation remains a significant concern. With many experienced attorneys approaching retirement, Stacy worries about the long-term consequences for access to justice, particularly in rural communities where legal resources are already limited. She believes the profession must find ways to attract and retain attorneys before these shortages place even greater strain on the courts and the people who depend on them.

Stacy has also observed the growing influence of artificial intelligence across both the legal and travel industries. While she recognizes its potential and believes professionals must adapt to emerging technology, she is concerned about the consequences of relying on AI-generated information without independently verifying its accuracy. She has seen this issue firsthand in the court system, where attorneys have submitted filings containing AI-generated inaccuracies. Similar concerns are emerging in travel, where inaccurate AI-generated itineraries can leave travelers facing costly mistakes and logistical problems. Stacy believes AI can be a valuable resource, but it cannot replace professional judgment, firsthand knowledge, or accountability. The consequences may look very different in a courtroom than they do on an international vacation, but the underlying responsibility is the same: verify the information, understand the context, and never substitute convenience for accuracy.

Beyond her professional work, Stacy is passionate about advocacy and creating opportunities for people who might otherwise be overlooked. Her interests include supporting children and families, animal welfare, education, and youth in foster care. Through Carey-ed Away Travel, she has organized luggage drives for children in foster care, reflecting her belief that even small efforts can make a meaningful difference. Whether through her nonprofit work, community initiatives, or personal advocacy, she hopes to use her experience and resources to address needs in her community and encourage others to do the same.

From growing up at the head of a holler in rural West Virginia to building a career that spans law, entrepreneurship, and community advocacy, Stacy’s path has been anything but conventional. She continues to look for opportunities to learn, challenge herself, and create something meaningful, whether that’s through her work in the courts, helping others experience the world, or building connections within her community. For Stacy, success isn’t simply about what she’s accomplished, but what she can do with the experience and opportunities she’s gained.

Learn More about Stacy Carey:

Through her Influential Women profile: https://influentialwomen.com/connect/stacy-carey or through her website, https://www.careyedawaytravel.com/

Influential Women

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