Jodie is the ultimate pressured teen. Her parents, particularly her father, drive her constantly to be the SuperStudent, loading her schedule with extra-curricular activities, volunteer work, additional classes, and internships. Jodie is naturally resentful, but puts up with it nonetheless.

At one time, she was simultaneously President of the French Club, Vice-President of the Student Council, Editor of the yearbook, and a member of the tennis team. She was presumably elected to President of Student Council at some point. She is also elected Homecoming Queen every year, and she views it as an empty gesture by a town trying to make up for its lack of diversity.

As a black girl in a very predominately white town, Jodie is very much aware that she stands out as a minority. This just adds to the pressure she feels to succeed. She has tried to get out of some of her excessive workload and get her parents (Andrew, Michelle) to ease the pressure on her, but never really succeeds.  She has a younger sister Rachel and baby brother Evan.

Although her spare time is vanishingly small, Jodie somehow manages to maintain a relationship with Mack, although in public they seem to behave more like good friends than a romantic couple. It seemed at first that they were dating by default, being practically the only two black students in Lawndale High, but over time their relationship grew into something more, and Jodie has even indicated that they are having sex.

Jodie has been able to talk Daria into taking action for something she believes in - although this is rare. A notable occasion was when she convinced Daria to see the superintendent of schools regarding the Ultra-Cola advertising at Lawndale High.

Along with Daria, Jodie was once offered the opportunity to attend Grove Hills, an accelerated school for gifted students. At first she looked forward to it, but came to realize that the students at Grove Hills were mostly egotistical and elitist. The trip to Grove Hills made Jodie realize that she and Daria have a few things in common, and she even admits she'd like to be more like Daria. Later, when they worked together on a team project, Jodie showed that she wasn't above using every advantage she had to get ahead - an indication that she probably will be successful someday. Another example of her go-getter attitude is her application for the Wizard Foundation Scholarship, for which she takes pointers from an interview coach. She plans to open her own business after college.

With her stellar academic record, Jodie essentially has her choice of colleges. Her father encourages her to attend Crestmore, a prestigious ivy-league school, but Jodie prefers Turner, a school with a larger minority population (and her father's alma mater). With a little unsolicited help from Mack, Jodie is able to convince her father to let her go to the college of her choice.

She is the valedictorian at the graduation ceremony, and gives a canned speech about "leaving our youth behind and making the journey into adulthood", blah blah blah.

Jodie is friendly to just about everyone at Lawndale High, including Daria and Jane. They have actually felt close enough to her to confide in her from time to time - for instance, Jane talks with Jodie about her problems with Tom shortly before their breakup.

Jodie's middle name "Abigail" comes from The Daria Diaries.