She received her bachelor's degree in occupational therapy at Texas Tech University, and went on to receive her master's degree in exercise and sport science at the University of Arizona. She completed her doctorate in movement science through the program in physical therapy at Washington University in St. Louis. She did her post-doctoral work at the Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins School of Medicine with Dr. Amy Bastian. She studies motor control problems that occur as a result of neurodegenerative disease processes such as multiple sclerosis and adrenomyeloneuropathy. Dr. Zackowski’s current studies investigate to what extent nerve fiber changes are associated with changes in locomotion and physical impairments in individuals with multiple sclerosis.