/Courts/Appellate/Appeal/Biographies/images/Bios/thornburg.jpg Born in Sylva, North Carolina, January 10, 1967, the fourth child of Dorothy and Lacy Thornburg. Married to Sarah Sparboe Thornburg, an attorney practicing in Asheville, North Carolina. Children: Samuel Lacy Thornburg, age 2, and newborn daughter Sarah Frances "Sally" Thornburg. Deacon in the Presbyterian Church (USA); member of First Presbyterian Church-Asheville. •Sylva-Webster High School, Sylva, North Carolina; 1985•Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina; B.A. in History, 1989 •Wake Forest University School of Law, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; J.D., 1996 •February 2004 through the present: Judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals •1997 to February of 2004: Attorney with Patla Straus Robinson & Moore, P.A., Asheville, North Carolina, practicing in areas of general civil litigation, estate planning, and estate administration •1996-1997: Law Clerk for the Honorable Sam J. Ervin, United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, Morganton, North Carolina and Richmond, Virginia •1989-1993: Legislative Aide to United States Senator Terry Sanford, Washington, D.C.•Buncombe County Bar Association •North Carolina Bar Association •American Bar Association•Board Member, North Carolina Board of Transportation; 2001-2004 •University of North Carolina-Asheville Foundation Board; Chair 2002-2004; Associate Chair, 2001-2002; member, 1999-2001 •Member, Council of Advisors of the Environmental Leadership Center of Warren Wilson College; 2000-2004 •Campaign Co-Chair, United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County; 2003-2004 •Volunteer Attorney, Mountain Area Volunteer Lawyer Referral Program providing pro bono legal services; 1997-2004 •Board Member, WNC Communities, Inc.; 2002-2004 •Board Member, Hospitality House; 1999-2002 •Board Member, Emerald Land Trust of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy; 2001-2002 •Board Member, Opportunity Corporation of Madison-Buncombe Counties; 2000-2001