She's the oldest of three children, grew up on a farm and went to a private Christian school. She graduated from Gering High School in 2005 and continued her education at Western Nebraska Community College, graduating in 2008. Prior to appearing on the Bachelor, she earned a culinary arts degree for patisserie and baking from Le Cordon Bleu, was a pastry chef in Las Vegas and had her own business in Omaha. She had also been a business manager for Altruistic Cosmetics and worked in a hospital as a phlebotomist.
