 She graduated with an English degree from James Madison University

She began her journalism career with "The Connection", a Virginian newspaper.From there she worked for the "Greenwich Time" in Connecticut, the "Times Herald-Record" in New York, and the "St. Petersburg Times" in Florida.She was based in New York City, working for "ABCNews.com" and "CourtTV"  and contributing as a freelancer to "The New York Times" and "People" magazine, among others.