Her mother, who speaks CHamoru, was raised on Guam.
Attended the University of Hawaii before transferring to Boston College, where she pursued a radio career. Before coming to New York, she started acting in Boston.
Early in her career, she watched "Seminar," a comedy play about a writing workshop. For the first time according to her, she saw a person who looked like her playing a role that was not a stereotype.
Her mother is an accountant, and her stepfather, a scientist.
