Blakely Lord is a proud graduate of North Carolina public schools, having grown up in Harnett County. A National Board Certified high school English teacher, she has spent the past 14 years teaching in Durham, Person, and Watauga counties. In addition to teaching high school, she also serves as an adjunct instructor of rhetoric and composition at Appalachian State University and as an instructor for the Upward Bound summer program. Prior to becoming a teacher, Blakely worked as an attorney-advisor for NASA and as a claims manager for Alaska Airlines. She holds a BA in English from Cornell University, a JD from UNC-Chapel Hill, and a Masters in Teaching from NC State University.