Stephanie Abbajay was born June 18, 1965 in Toledo, Ohio. She is a 1987 graduate of Kenyon College. After college she moved to Washington, D.C. where she was an assistant to political consultant John E. Carbaugh. Jr. and a reporter for his news service, Report From America.

From 1988 to 1992, she worked for Irving Kristol and Ambassador Owen Harries at The National Interest, a quarterly foreign policy magazine, where she served for two years as managing editor. She was also a book reviewer for The Washington Times.

In 1992, Stephanie served as a schedule c political appointee in the administration of President George H.W. Bush to the United States Information Agency’s Bureau of Broadcasting, where she worked at WorldNet Television developing programming promoting democracy around the world. After her political appointment ended in 1993, Abbajay entered the bar business where, starting in 1994, she opened and managed a serious of successful bars, restaurants and nightclubs, including Crush, Nineteen Ten and the Toledo Lounge, which is still going strong in Adams Morgan 15 years later.

In 2002, Stephanie and her family moved from Washington, D.C. to a 40-acre farm in rural Illinois. From 2003 to 2006, she was a reporter and editor for the local newspaper, The Jersey County Journal, eventually becoming regional editor of three of the company’s papers. While editor of the Journal, Stephanie received five awards and honorable mentions from the Southern Illinois Editorial Association for her news coverage and editorials.

In 2006, she resigned as regional editor to run the business and marketing for her husband’s artisanal furniture company, David Stine Woodworking.

Also in 2006, her chocolate almond biscotti received a blue ribbon and the Best in Show Award in the Jersey County Fair’s Culinary Competition. Her peach jam and carrot cake also received blue ribbons.

She is a columnist for the Jersey County Journal and a freelance writer and editor. She has published feature pieces in The Alton Telegraph and The American Interest magazine.

She is a board member of the Jerseyville Rotary Club and serves on the School District 100 Fundraising Committee.