Jess Ballard: I Am Barnes & Thornburg

I AM...

• Someone who can’t resist a good true crime podcast or documentary
• A lover of travel. Hawaii is my favorite place on Earth. My goal is to visit all 50 states—I still have a long way to go.
• Completely unfazed by dangerous wildlife. Don’t worry, I’m not out there trying to pet them! I’ve even gone cage-free shark diving in the open ocean, which was absolutely surreal.
• A proud wife to my high school sweetheart, Nathan. We’ve been together for 16 years, married for 12, and he’s still my favorite person.
• A proud, slightly unhinged, dog mom to a Golden Retriever named Otto. I will show you unsolicited photos of him.
• A lover of Mexican food and could eat it every single day for the rest of my life and never get tired of it
• Someone who enjoys staying active. I’m currently loving mat Pilates (still very much a beginner) after powerlifting for a handful of years.
• A firm believer that experiences are more valuable than things
• Grateful to have the same best friend since 2000. She’s seen every version of me, and we fully intend to keep causing trouble well into our 80s. Here’s looking at you, Courtney Brown.
• A country music fan who would love to learn to play the guitar someday

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

View the full publication.