She earned her degree in political science from Michigan State University where she cut her teeth working for the Michigan House of Representatives for over five years. She started her political career working for Speaker of the House Kevin Cotter, learning how to navigate negotiating with lobbyists and representatives on the opposite side of the aisle. Her proudest accomplishment was drafting the Save Our Students Act for Representative Andrea Schroeder, which mandates that schools include a 24-hour suicide prevention hotline on student identification cards. Her favorite project, however, was taking on the entire electric vehicle and environmental lobby-core to ultimately reform the laws surrounding EV charging stations in Michigan to increase access. 

During her final year at the House, Gabriella entered law school and obtained her Juris Doctor from WMU Thomas M. Cooley Law School and completed her training to be a Civil Mediator and Family Mediator. Following law school, she served as Executive Director for the Michigan Community Mediation Association where she established the highly successful Behavioral Health Mediation program, showcasing her innovative approach to conflict resolution.

Seeking to hone her trial and courtroom skills, Gabriella became an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Berrien County where she gained expertise handling misdemeanor and felony cases. Gabriella quickly established a strong track record of convicting offenders and securing justice for victims. She is particularly proud of her work on domestic violence cases which are among the most challenging to prove.