She obtained her B.S. in Chemistry at the University of Oklahoma in 1974, her Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin with Michael J. S. Dewar in 1980, her postdoctorate at Purdue University with Herbert C. Brown during 1980-1983, and joined the University of Oklahoma in 1983. She was a Faculty Fellow in the OU Provost's Office 1989-1990, a Visiting Professor at MIT 2003, and assistant to American Chemical Society Past President Dr. Ann Nalley since 2005.