After receiving a BS in Biology and a BA in French at Indiana University, she received an MS in Ecology and Evolution from the University of Chicago and then earned her PhD in Biology at Arizona State University. She has received many awards for her teaching, including the 2016 award for Creative Teaching from Duquesne's Center for Teaching Excellence. Dr. Woodley's research is currently centered on the effects of environmental stressors on amphibians. Additionally, she studies the vomeronasal organ (an olfactory organ) in salamanders to better understand sex differences. She uses the Application Based Service Learning pedagogy in her classes.