Meet a Mom: Ann-Michael Drury of Austin Mom Walks

Welcome to our first Meet a Mom of 2023! There’s nothing like the support of other moms during the first few months with a new baby and Ann-Michael Drury saw the need for that community and has put together a wonderful way for mamas to move their bodies, meet other moms and build a village. Hope to see you at a walk soon! 

Hi Ann-Michael! I’m so excited to introduce you to our community. Let’s get started!

Hi, I’m Ann-Michael Drury! My husband, Zach, and I have been living in the Austin area for a little over four years now. I have lived all over Texas, North Carolina and Florida growing up, but claim Houston as my home. Zach and I left Houston when he was relocated for work shortly after we were married. Fortunately, I was able to relocate with my company as well. I work part time in Pharmaceutical Sales and absolutely love it. However, my favorite job is being a mom to our almost two-year-old, Evelyn. She is the light of our life and transitioning into the role of mom has been my greatest blessing! Having my morning coffee and going on long walks with her was so therapeutic for me during my maternity leave and a big part of what lead me to Austin Mom Walks!

What led you to Austin Mom Walks?

I am the oldest of seven children… crazy, right?! My youngest brother was born when I was 18 and I was able to be very hands-on for a lot of his infancy! When I was pregnant with Evelyn, I assumed all of the practice I had with my younger siblings, babysitting and church daycares would make me an expert when I had my own baby. Wow, was I wrong! Being a mom changes you in ways that you didn’t know were possible. I realized very quickly how badly you need other women around you in the same season of life!

I have a lot of people ask me how I manage these walks with a job and honestly, my answer is we have the greatest nanny! We found her through NannyLane if you’re looking for help yourself. She has been such a gift to our lives and makes things so much easier for me to work, be a present mom and help build this community. We can’t walk this walk as moms alone, so finding great help and a great community has been so life giving. Austin Mom Walks is growing rapidly and I’m really excited to see what it looks like in 2023!

What are some of the biggest challenges you’re facing with Austin Mom Walks right now?

Honestly, the biggest challenge right now is moms wanting more walks and in more areas of Austin! It’s a great challenge to have because it proves how much we all love these walks. However, I am trying to be creative and find ways for other moms to help me host walks in different areas without over committing myself in the process.

What’s your favorite coffee spot in Austin?

We have been frequenting Merit Coffee quite a bit for our walks! The Seaholm District is such a fun place to let the kids play, drink a cup of coffee and then hit the trail!

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why and how long would you stay?

My husband and I love Europe! We haven’t been since pre pandemic and pre-baby so we are hoping to do a big Europe trip with Evelyn sometime this year!