 She was exposed to the arts from an early age, took guitar lessons at age nine and began composing at ten.She studied music in high school and church music programs, and graduated from Roosevelt University with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1978.She continued her studies at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Northwest University, and graduated from New York University with a certificate in public relations in 1991 and from De Paul University with a Master of Music degree in 1995.