She completed her undergraduate work at Vanderbilt University and received graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Boston College. In addition to an extensive clinical background, she has also completed formal training in neurobiology and neuroanatomy, histology and ultrastructure at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine. Her research program focuses on characterization of symptoms of central nervous system activity during stress, psychological challenge and sleep restriction, and includes defining neurobiological and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying symptoms of fatigue, cognitive impairment and persistent hypersomnolence.