Professor Zartner grew up in Dayton, Minnesota (about an hour north of Minneapolis) and went to Hamline University in St. Paul where she received a BA in International Relations with a minor in French. After receiving a law degree from Boston University, Professor Zartner worked as an immigration attorney in Northern California, specializing in green card applications for ‘Individuals of Extraordinary Ability’ and ‘Outstanding Professors and Researchers’ and asylum cases. After five years as an attorney, she decided to return to academia and received a Ph.D. in Political Science from UC Davis.