After starting a family, Ambassador Herbold enrolled in the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University, graduating second in her class in 1977.
While serving as legal counsel for a wide variety of companies after law school, Ambassador Herbold was called to public service. Beginning in 1983, with her election to the City Council of Montgomery, OH, she continued her career as Mayor of Montgomery in 1985.
After relocating to Washington State, she became a member of the Washington State Gambling Commission in 1997 and the elected Chairwoman of the King County GOP Party in 2002.
In 2005, she was appointed United States Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore by President George W. Bush and she held this position until 2009.
Ambassador Herbold is currently the vice president and secretary of the Herbold Foundation.