Her mom cleaned homes before earning her cosmetology license later in life, and her father shucked clams and laid ground cable. In the eighth grade, Finale's father sadly died when he was hit by a truck. In high school, Finale cleaned clam buckets at 6 a.m. at Willis Wharf, graded tomatoes at Six L’s, waitressed, and spent a short week picking crabs at a local crab house. Thanks to public schools,
Finale had a chance to further her education. After graduating from Northampton High School, she attended Hampton University and earned her Bachelor of Science degree. For the next 20 years as a Navy wife and businesswoman, she resided in Norfolk, Virginia, never far from home, as her family remained in Norfolk and on the Eastern Shore. Finale began working at Bank of America (FKA) Sovran Bank in 1988. Always advocating for inclusion and equity, she served on Bank of America’s Diversity Council and was an executive sponsor for the company’s Lead for Women initiative and LGBTQ initiative. During her 26-year tenure at Bank of America, mostly in Norfolk, Finale worked her way up to becoming an executive with responsibility for more than 3,500 employees. She then worked at a global consulting company before retiring from corporate America. Over the years, Finale has given back to the community through United Way campaigns, Junior Achievement mentorship, Habitat for Humanity builds, the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, March of Dimes fundraising, and the Urban League. While her career has been in business, she has never forgotten her roots. She moved back home to the Eastern Shore to be closer to her family.
