yates was born in atlanta to john kelley quillian (1930–1986), an attorney and judge who was a judge on the georgia court of appeals between 1966 and 1984, and his wife, xara "mickey" debeaugrine quillian (née terrell; 1931–2012), an interior designer. her grandmother had been one of the first women admitted to the georgia bar; however, she was not hired as an attorney, instead working as a legal secretary for yates's grandfather.