Born and raised in Colorado, Tessa moved to Spokane to attend Gonzaga University and pursued a degree in Public Relations before going back to school at Spokane Falls Community College for an associate of science in Graphic Design. Her love of healthcare and better community health outcomes started in Wellington, New Zealand with a view into the impact of universal healthcare working in a digital communications for a district health board. In her spare time, she likes to read, is a voracious Wordle player, and dabbles in dog agility lessons.