She was born in Jefferson, Iowa and went to high school in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Both of her parents were teachers. She attended Washington University in St. Louis, double majoring in Chemistry and French. She received her medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine, followed by surgical training at the University of Washington affiliated hospitals and Boston Children's Hospital. Her clinical interests include helping families in difficult situations, including caring for babies with congenital anomalies and patients with cancer. Her son Jonah was born in 2004, and her husband is an adult thoracic surgeon.