Ross earned her degree in Advanced Fashion Design from California Design College in 1997. Almost immediately after graduation, she went to work as a production pattern maker for Lily's of Beverly Hills, a high-end golf and resort-wear manufacturer. From the start, Ross thrived on the fast-paced schedule, excitement of meeting deadlines, and competitiveness that defines the field of fashion.

If that weren't enough, a month after starting at Lily's, Ross discovered she was pregnant. In addition to juggling her new career and new pregnancy, within the first year after her graduation Lore was also helping her husband, Kevin, campaign to become the youngest African-American Superior Court Judge. Similar to Lore, Kevin is also no stranger to career challenges as he has become a Superior Court judge in the Los Angeles area.

In 1999, Ross advanced her career as an assistant designer for DA Rue of California, another resort-wear manufacturer. "I've learned that it is possible to do it all and do it all well," says Ross, who also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing from California State University at Fullerton.

"My long-term goals include launching my own line of clothing. Ever since my son, Jordan, was born, I've thought about designing a line of maternity clothes because not many fashion options were available for moms-to-be."

Ross emphasizes that the education she received at California Design College can help her make any of her professional goals attainable. "One of the things I liked best about California Design College is the personalized attention in the classroom and from the administration," she says. "There is an appropriate number of students per class, allowing the faculty and staff to interact with each student. The work was hard and we sometimes struggled to meet the deadline imposed by the instructors. But I enjoyed the challenge because I knew what to expect after graduation. My education truly prepared me for the 'real world' of fashion."