Stacy Carey bridges law, travel and community work in West Virginia

West Virginia attorney Stacy Carey is being recognized for a career that spans judicial service, entrepreneurship and community advocacy. Her work in the courts, travel planning and nonprofit service highlights how one professional path can address access, connection and opportunity in different ways.

Why it matters: - Stacy Carey’s career touches three areas that affect daily life in West Virginia: access to justice, travel opportunities and community support. - Her work reflects a broader concern in the state about attorney shortages, rural access to legal help and the need for stronger community connections. - Carey’s nonprofit and travel ventures are built around the same theme as her legal work: helping people navigate systems, relationships and opportunities with less friction.

What happened: - Influential Women recognized Stacy Carey for her work as a judicial law clerk, travel entrepreneur and community advocate. - Carey has worked in West Virginia’s judicial system since 2009 in the state’s Sixth Judicial Circuit. - Carey served under the Honorable Alfred E. Ferguson until his retirement in December 2024 and then began working for the Honorable Chad S. Lovejoy in January 2025. - Carey also founded Carey-ed Away Travel in 2018. - Carey is developing She Wanders Anyway, a women’s travel community set to launch in late 2026. - Carey co-founded Common Thread Connections, Inc., a West Virginia nonprofit focused on shared experiences that strengthen relationships and foster belonging.

The details: - Carey’s court duties include legal research, reviewing motions and filings, and drafting proposed court orders and other judicial documents. - Her judicial work supports decisions in civil, criminal, juvenile and appellate matters. - Carey earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Toledo College of Law. - Carey is admitted to practice in West Virginia and before the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. - Carey also holds a Regents Bachelor of Arts with a minor in psychology from Marshall University. - Carey earned an Associate of Applied Science in Travel and Tourism from Ohio University Southern. - Carey said her academic interests extend to leadership, procedural justice, organizational change and the role institutions play in people’s lives. - Carey-ed Away Travel offers customized international itineraries, group travel, cruises and immersive experiences. - The travel business is built around specialized industry training, firsthand travel experience and logistics planning. - Carey said she created the agency to help people travel without becoming overwhelmed by planning. - She Wanders Anyway is designed for women who want to travel without waiting for the perfect time or the perfect companion. - Common Thread Connections, Inc. aims to remove barriers that keep children and families from sharing meaningful moments. - The nonprofit’s examples include family outings, weekend getaways and time for siblings separated by difficult circumstances. - Carey said the organization’s mission is to make meaningful connections possible regardless of financial hardship, geography or family circumstances. - Carey is also active in advocacy for children and families, animal welfare, education and youth in foster care. - Carey-ed Away Travel has organized luggage drives for children in foster care. - Carey became the first person in her family to graduate from college and later earned a law degree. - Carey grew up in rural West Virginia and said she saw the effects of poverty, addiction and limited opportunities on local families.

Between the lines: - Carey’s story links professional achievement with service-oriented work, a combination that fits West Virginia’s need for trusted local leadership. - Her emphasis on careful legal work and verified information reflects concern about both attorney shortages and the risks of rushed decision-making. - Carey said the shortage of attorneys is one of the most pressing challenges facing West Virginia’s legal system. - A statewide judicial law clerk conference in spring 2026 and an August report from the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia’s Commission on the Future of the Practice of Law both highlighted the issue. - The report found that 46 of West Virginia’s 55 counties qualify as legal deserts. - The report also found that the number of active, in-state attorneys has declined and access to legal representation remains a concern. - Carey worries that retirements among experienced attorneys could deepen access-to-justice problems in rural communities. - Carey also flagged risks tied to artificial intelligence in both law and travel, especially when users rely on AI-generated information without verifying it. - Carey said AI can be useful, but it cannot replace professional judgment, firsthand knowledge or accountability.

What’s next: - She Wanders Anyway is expected to launch in late 2026. - Carey says she will keep focusing on legal work, travel services and community initiatives that create practical opportunities for others. - The broader challenge Carey identified in West Virginia is whether the legal profession can recruit and retain enough attorneys before access problems worsen.

The bottom line: - Stacy Carey is building a career around one idea: careful work and meaningful connection can make institutions, travel and community life more accessible.