Her PhD, with a thesis "Responding to the Fears of Early Childhood - an Examination of Perception and Practice in Emotion Education", and her Master of Arts (Honours) in Creative Arts and Early Childhood Education were gained at the University of Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia. In her native Canada, she achieved a Bachelor of Arts in English and Psychology, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Photography, a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Art Education.