Katherine L . “ Kitty ” Dooley
Attorney at Law , The Dooley Law Firm , PLLC
Photo by John Sibold .
SAMANTHA CART
GROWING UP IN FAIRMONT , WV , Kitty Dooley was surrounded by adults who led by example and taught her to prioritize improving her community . Her father , a coal miner , and her mother , a housewife , led faith-centered lives that left an indelible mark on their daughter .
“ My parents always worked to improve our community and make the lives of others better ,” she says . “ It was important to them , and , as their child , it has always been important to me .”
However , it was the work of West Virginia University ( WVU ) professor and attorney Franklin Cleckley that inspired her to become a lawyer at the young age of 12 .
“ In the 1970s , my hometown was having its own civil rights movement ,” she says . “ We protested the failure of one
of the most prominent department stores in the city to hire African Americans except to clean or operate elevators . During that time , there were criminal charges brought against an African American man for protesting . Leaders of the community organized and would meet at various locations .”
One of those meetings was held at Dooley ’ s house . She recalls her excitement about a man arriving who was so wellknown , he had only one name — Cleckley .
“ I was in awe of this man and the difference he was making in our community and communities across West Virginia ,” she says . “ During one of his trials , my father took me to court with him to observe . I sat on the corner of my aisle seat watching Cleckley operate . He took total command of the courtroom . It was then that I decided I would be a lawyer , and that dream stayed with me for the next 15 years .”
Dooley attended Marshall University , where she earned a degree in journalism while taking ROTC classes .
“ As an ROTC cadet , I completed Army Airborne training at Fort Benning , GA , in 1979 , becoming the first female ROTC cadet in the state to earn the Army Parachutist Badge ,” she says . “ Upon graduation , I received a commission as a second lieutenant and service for four and a half years .”
Following officer training at Fort Huachuca , AZ , and Fort Devens , MA , Dooley ’ s first duty station was in South Korea , where she served as a platoon leader responsible for 40 soldiers providing tactical intelligence . After leaving Korea , she was stationed at Fort Huachuca , where she served as the editor of Military Intelligence magazine , which gave her the opportunity to utilize her journalism degree . After marrying her husband , Chuck Green , Dooley was reassigned to Fort Ord , CA , as head of a military intelligence collection and dissemination office .
“ It was an honor to serve in the Army ,” she says . “ It helped me strengthen my leadership skills and develop a world view that expanded my horizons far beyond what I could have ever imagined from my humble West Virginia roots . I believe this experience led to a desire to focus not on the differences or different opinions held by other people but on their humanity — the things we
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE