Ever since Hillbilly Elegy blew up and J.D. Vance swapped venture capital for the vice presidency, everyone’s been digging into his family tree. People want to know about the mother who struggled, the legendary Mamaw who swore like a sailor, and, of course, the big sister who basically kept the wheels from falling off during their chaotic childhood. Her name is Lindsay Lewis (often referred to as Lindsay Ratliff), and honestly, she’s the unsung hero of the Vance story.
If you’ve seen the Netflix movie or read the book, you know Lindsay as the older sister who was constantly shielding J.D. from their mother’s unpredictable outbursts. But she isn't a politician. She isn't a Yale-educated lawyer. So, what does she actually do for a living now that her brother is one of the most famous men in the country?
The Career and Life of Lindsay Lewis
Lindsay lives a life that is radically different from the high-stakes world of Washington D.C. She’s stayed close to her roots in Middletown, Ohio, and for the most part, she has stayed out of the professional spotlight. While J.D. was climbing the ladder in Silicon Valley and D.C., Lindsay focused on building the stable family life they never had as kids.
Basically, she is a mother and a dedicated family woman.
That might sound like a simple answer, but in the context of their upbringing, it’s a huge deal. Lindsay married her husband, Kevin, and they have three children. She’s often described herself as a "stay-at-home mom" or someone deeply involved in her kids' lives, which is a massive pivot from the instability they witnessed growing up.
In her rare media appearances—like her 2017 interview with Megyn Kelly—she comes across as incredibly grounded. She doesn't have a "public facing" corporate job or a political appointment. Instead, she’s been the glue for the extended Vance-Lewis family. When you grow up in a house where the next meal or the next housing situation isn't guaranteed, "just" being a stable mom and a reliable sister is a career in itself.
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Protective Big Sister: Her Real "Job"
If you ask anyone who knows the family, they'll tell you Lindsay’s primary role for the last 30 years has been protecting J.D. She’s five years older than him. In a house marked by addiction and rotating father figures, that five-year gap made her a surrogate parent. Lindsay has spoken openly about the guilt she felt when she got married and moved out, leaving J.D. alone with their mother’s volatility. She told the Dayton Daily News that J.D. has a "part of my soul that nobody will ever have."
Why the Public is So Obsessed
Why do we care what she does? It's simple. Lindsay represents the "other" path. J.D. represents the "Elegy" part—the one who escaped to the Ivy League and the halls of power. Lindsay represents the people who stayed.
- The Bridge: She’s the bridge between the Vice President and the Rust Belt reality he writes about.
- The Defender: When critics attacked Hillbilly Elegy for being too harsh on their hometown or their mother, Lindsay was the first one to stand up and say, "No, this is what happened."
- The Normalcy: She provides a level of "regular person" credibility to J.D.'s brand.
It’s worth noting that while J.D. is the one in the headlines, Lindsay is often the person people in Middletown actually recognize and talk to. She didn't leave. She didn't change her accent. She didn't become a "globalist" (a term J.D. loves to throw around). She just kept living her life.
Supporting the Campaign
During the 2024 campaign and leading into the 2025 inauguration, Lindsay was there. You saw her at the RNC. You saw her in the background of victory speeches. While she doesn't have an official role in the administration, she is a key advisor in the sense that she keeps J.D. connected to the reality of their upbringing.
She isn't drafting policy on trade or border security. But she is likely the one person J.D. can call when he needs to remember why he started this journey in the first place.
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The Reality of Her Professional Life
Kinda ironically, there isn't a long LinkedIn profile for Lindsay Lewis. She hasn't cashed in on her brother's fame by launching a lifestyle brand or a consulting firm. She’s lived a private life.
She’s been a private citizen who occasionally steps into the light to defend her brother's character. In a world where every political sibling seems to have a "side hustle," her lack of a public career is actually what makes her so relatable to J.D.'s base. She’s just a sister from Ohio.
If you’re looking for a specific job title, you won't find one that fits a corporate box. She’s a parent, an aunt to J.D. and Usha’s three kids (Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel), and a constant presence in her mother’s ongoing recovery process.
Next Steps for Readers
If you want to understand the Vance family dynamic better, the best move is to watch the 2017 Megyn Kelly interview with Lindsay. It’s one of the few times she speaks for herself rather than through the lens of J.D.'s writing. It gives you a much better sense of her personality—tough, loyal, and very much a product of Mamaw’s influence. You can also read the original Hillbilly Elegy memoir, specifically the chapters where J.D. describes her marriage and the birth of her first child, which he cites as a turning point in his own understanding of what a "normal" life could look like.