Carrie Ephgrave: I Am Barnes & Thornburg

I AM...

• A mom of four boys—my biggest accomplishment
• Very family oriented. I live close to my parents and drag them on vacation with us each year.
• Someone who enjoys finding humor in everything and evoking smiles on others’ faces.
• A Chicago lover, except in the winter. If I could design a massive magnifying glass to be held over the Chicagoland area in winter, I would do it!
• A traveler at heart and enjoy creating memories with those on the adventure that I meticulously plan from start to finish.
• A lover of animals, and I would live on a farm or in a zoo if I could. But I will settle for our two dogs.
• An M.B.A graduate from Kellstadt, which I earned while working and chasing after two toddlers, with a third on the way. I walked the stage to receive my diploma eight months pregnant.
• A frog and dragonfly monitor at the Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve, submitting data to the Chicago Academy of Sciences and its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum as part of a biodiversity recovery plan
• Certified in natural areas restoration after enrolling in and completing the Natural Areas Conservation Training (N-ACT) Program at the Morton Arboretum during COVID.
• From a family of artists and love working on creative projects, especially when I can't find exactly what I want in the marketplace

This profile appeared in the March 2026 edition of I Am Barnes & Thornburg.

View the full publication.