Growing up, Aberly assumed that she would follow the same path as many others at her high school: graduate, go to state school and settle down in the suburbs. Instead, Aberly's unexpected admittance to Amherst introduced her to the possibility of making a path of her own, a path along which she could make a difference.
At Amherst
"Honestly, I never intended to attend Amherst," said Aberly. "I grew up in a suburb of Detroit, Mich. My father was the first in his family to attend college, [and] I went to a mediocre high school."
Aberly applied to the College "for the hell of it," never thinking that she would be offered a spot. She had attended "every Ohio State vs. Michigan football game from birth through [high school]," so she assumed that she would go to University of Michigan like her father, her older sister and most of her high school classmates.
Her parents, Ansel and Suzanne Aberly, put great emphasis on education and achievement, and when Aberly received her acceptance from Amherst, they were thrilled. "They wouldn't hear of me not going to Amherst," she said. "Even though it was a big stretch financially."
Aberly started at the College in 1980. She was the first of her two sisters to leave Michigan and the comfortable surroundings of her "sheltered Midwestern upbringing." Though initially apprehensive, Aberly thrived as an Amherst student. She was one of nine women in a class of 60 economics majors and graduated Phi Beta Kappa of her class. "Amherst opened the world to me," she said. Keeping in mind the concentrated work ethic instilled in her by her parents, Aberly spent much of her time at Amherst immersed in her studies. By the middle of her first year, she had decided on a detailed life plan.
"I was going to work on Wall Street," Aberly said, "and then head to business school and then meet up with and marry my boyfriend wherever he was in his medical residency-of course, none of this happened, because life plans are ridiculous."
As it transpired, "I broke up with the doctor boyfriend, did not accept a job on Wall Street and did not apply to business school," Aberly recalled.
Down Unexpected Paths
After graduation, Aberly took a job with Neiman Marcus and moved to Dallas, Tex. in the fall of 1985. Although her parents were upset that she chose to go into retail instead of taking a job on Wall Street, to Aberly, "Dallas … represented a break from everything [she] was expected to do." It was a completely new life.
Aberly knew no one when she moved to Dallas, but she quickly earned the respect of her employers. Applying her natural work ethic to the job, Aberly moved rapidly up the executive ladder. "I became an assistant buyer, then a department manager and then a buyer," said Aberly. By the time she was 25, she was traveling around the world for Neiman Marcus.
Dallas also brought Aberly good fortune outside of her career. While in Dallas, Aberly met her husband, Larry Lebowitz, on a blind date set up by one of her friends. "One of my friends from Amherst met Larry over the summer in Nantucket," she said. "He was there before moving to Dallas in the fall for work. She gave him my number and he called when he moved down. The rest, as they say, is history!"
From Retail to Roots
After the birth of her first son Matthew, Aberly was a full-time mother until an encounter with a friend plunged her into a career path very different from retail.
"A friend of mine asked me to help with a grass-roots group that was taking over an abandoned railroad track for a 'rails to trails' program," said Aberly. Although this was her first experience working for a nonprofit organization, Aberly caught on quickly. Realizing that she had a talent for fundraising, Aberly decided to share her ability with other nonprofit organizations.
When another good friend invited Aberly to a function for Planned Parenthood of North Texas, she jumped at the opportunity. Aberly noted that she was the youngest volunteer at the function by at least 10 years, so she offered to help garner support for the program from her age group. She felt strongly about the initiative of Planned Parenthood and was eager to make a difference.
Once again, Aberly moved up the executive ladder from board member to development chair and finally to chairman of the board. "My involvement with Planned Parenthood has been incredibly rewarding," she said. "It is a fascinating organization because it is so complex, and I have learned so much from my involvement." While Planned Parenthood is the sixth largest nonprofit clinical chain in the country, its mission is getting harder to accomplish, especially in the more conservative areas of the country. "We work every day to protect reproductive rights in a very hostile environment," Aberly said.
Working for nonprofits piqued Aberly's interest in Democratic politics. Her exceptional fundraising skills and great desire to make a difference have led to her involvement in Senator Barack Obama's (D-IL) campaign.
Aberly was unable to include many specifics about her involvement; however, she admitted that she is a member of the National Finance Committee and has been very active in gaining support for Senator Obama. Aberly began working on Obama's campaign for the presidency before the senator announced his candidacy, and said that she has "loved working on a Presidential campaign for such an inspiring candidate."
Future Trails
Aberly plans to continue her work in Democratic politics. "We have so much to do in the great state of Texas, and nationally," she said, "so I would imagine I will be busy for many years." She would also like to stay involved in Planned Parenthood in any way that she can and on any level locally, statewide or nationally. "Dallas is a great city," said Aberly. "You can get involved with things that matter and make a difference."
Her work ethic, innate desire to promote positive change and the skills that she has acquired from each part of her not-so-planned life have led Aberly down a rewarding if unexpected path. She has two beautiful sons, a husband "who supports [her] in all of [her] endeavors," and the tools and willpower to make a difference.