Get to know Abbey
A Dreamer and a Doer
I am proud to claim two skills: initiation and follow-through. I am a finisher, and for this, my dad began to call me "the grit girl." I have always dreamt of starting a business and making a greater impact in my community. When I learned that Utah was in last place for female representation for five years in a row, I knew I needed to do something. In October 2020, while applying for a scholarship, I wrote out every detail of that dream. Six months later, I began researching how to make it possible. I reached out to new and old colleagues to form a board, and on July 1, 2021, I officially incorporated The Grit Girl Group. However, the work had just begun. My board and I spent the next six months brainstorming, filing paperwork, fundraising, and advertising. It was a lot of tedious work with minimal reward. Then in January 2022, we received our tax-exempt status, and our organization took off. We hosted our first event on March 1, 2022, and have since hosted ten events and launched three annual programs. We have individually helped over 100 women this year and look forward to changing many more lives. I am a true testament to the phrase, "If you can dream it, you can do it."
Lifelong Advocate
I began my advocacy at eight years old to support Alopecia awareness, research, and funding. I had been diagnosed with Alopecia Areata and had never met anyone with the immune disorder, so I decided to join some groups and start talking about it. Once I healed, I began advocating for other causes: adoption, special education, foster care, domestic violence awareness, and sexual assault awareness. I am now an advocate for closing the gender representation gap in Utah through my 501(c)(3), The Grit Girl Group.
Trained Vocalist
I started singing before I could even speak but officially started training when I was 12 years old. I was part of the Salt Lake City Children's Choir, the Riverton Children's Choir, Bingham High School Choir, and many musicals before I started solo training at age 15. I studied classically until I graduated high school. Then, in 2020, I began studying broadway and opera performance with Gary Sorenson. It's been a fun journey, and I'm excited to see where my voice will go!
Work Hard, Play Harder
I'm a full-fledged dog mom to two very good doggies, Luna and Bruno. I loved Diet Coke before it was cool, and I love anything on or in the water. I swim, surf, wakeboard, ski (on lakes and mountains), and flyboard. I'm also really good at binge-watching Netflix series whenever I have a free weekend. While my parents always taught me the value of hard work, they never failed to help me remember that we work to live and not the other way around.
Born and Raised Utahn
As a multi-generation Utahn, my family history is deeply rooted in the history of the beehive state. My ancestors were some of the first to colonize the Salt Lake Valley; frankly, we never left! I have a huge extended family, and I was lucky to grow up with most cousins living within a 50-mile radius. I attended grade school and college with many of my cousins and have remained close to them. I was truly blessed with the best, and I'm glad to have my giant family in my corner when I need support.
Bilingual
From 2018 to 2020, I lived in Fresno, California, as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I had the opportunity to serve the Hispanic community in and around Fresno, which helped me learn to speak Spanish fluently. I've also had the privilege of traveling all over the United States as well as to several countries around the world. These experiences, paired with my love of world history, theology, and human behavior, have taught me the importance of diversity. Diverse communities are beautiful, and I have loved learning about the many different cultures and traditions celebrated by people all over the world.
