Growing Up
Carrie grew up on a farm in western North Carolina and moved to Winston-Salem in 2000 to attend the UNC School of the Arts for high school where she played the oboe. She graduated from UNCSA in 2003 and completed her undergraduate degree in political science at Western Carolina University in 2006. Carrie was in the charter class at Elon University School of Law where she graduated in 2009 at the age of 22.
Professional Life
Prior to being elected to the District Court bench in 2016, Carrie practiced law at the Holton Law Firm. Her practice was almost exclusively in our trial courts. Carrie’s practice focused primarily on helping families and children but she also practiced in criminal defense, general civil litigation, juvenile cases, and traffic matters.
Carrie also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Wake Forest University School of Law and loves teaching the next generation of law students.
From 2010 until 2019, Carrie taught in the Paralegal Technology Program at Forsyth Technical Community College. She taught several different classes including Family Law, Legal Ethics, Business Law, Corporate Law and an Introduction to Paralegal Class.
Carrie has enjoyed several leadership roles within the legal community and is a past President for the Forsyth County Bar Association. She is a Vice President on the Board of Governors for the North Carolina Bar Association and a past bench-bar liaison for the Family Law Section of the NCBA. She is a long time member of the Chief Justice Joseph Branch Inn of Court. She has previously served on the North Carolina State Bar’s Paralegal Examination Committee. All of these positions have allowed Carrie to interact with many different types of lawyers and legal professionals. Carrie has been certified as a specialist by the North Carolina State Bar in the area of Family Law since 2015.
Carrie is a frequent speaker and presenter at continuing education seminars for both lawyers and judges. Carrie also regularly speaks at law schools around North Carolina.
Personal and Community Life
Carrie fell in love with Winston-Salem when she was in high school and even before and has immersed herself in our community. She is a member of the Kaleideum Board of Directors. She is a past President of the Junior League of Winston-Salem and a past President of the Board of Directors for the Forsyth Humane Society. Carrie served as a volunteer with the Triad Golden Retriever Rescue. She is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Liberty Street Community Development Corporation and the Children’s Museum of Winston-Salem. In 2012, Carrie served her alma mater as a member of the UNC School of the Arts Board of Trustees. Carrie and her husband, Phillip, are active members in their church at Reynolda Presbyterian.
Carrie has received several awards including a 2022 Citizen Lawyer award from the North Carolina Bar Association, 2019 Rising Star award from NC Lawyers Weekly, a 2018 award for 40 Leaders Under 40 from the Triad Business Journal, a 2016 30 Under 30 from Phi Mu Fraternity, a 2015 recognition for Outstanding Women Leaders from the City of Winston-Salem, a 2014 Winston Under 40 Leadership Award from the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce, and a 2013 Special Recognition Award from the Winston-Salem Chronicle.
Carrie’s family is very important to her. Carrie and Phillip are proud parents to a young daughter. They also have a goldendoodle, Lionel. Her brother, Ray, is a Captain in the U.S. Army and is stationed in Columbus, Georgia, where he lives with his wife and children. Her father resides in southern Virginia.
