She joined the Missouri School of Journalism in August 2007 as a fellow of the Knight Center for Editing Excellence. Formerly Abbott served as the assistant managing editor at the Des Moines (Iowa) Register. She earned four degrees from the University of Missouri: bachelor's degrees in English and journalism in 1967, a master's degree in 1969 and a doctorate in journalism in 1988. Her professional experience includes stints at the Sacramento (Calif.) Bee and the Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News. Abbott has worked as an assistant professor at California State University in Sacramento and as an instructor at the Missouri School of Journalism.