She has an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Houston and a doctorate in educational psychology from Indiana University. She has authored more than 50 publications related to the social and emotional characteristics of gifted individuals and the psychosocial skills necessary for the development of talent. She is an active member of the National Association for Gifted Children and the American Educational Research Association, holding leadership positions in both organizations, and is the incoming Coeditor of the Journal for Advanced Academics.