She is originally from Uruguay and earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology (neuropsychology emphasis) from the University of Arizona. She completed postdoctoral studies in clinical neuropsychology at Duke University Medical Center and subsequently held a faculty position as a clinical neuropsychologist at Rush University Medical Center. She joined UCSD in July 2012 to complete a T32 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and became faculty at UCSD in July 2015.