Stephanie Golda was born in Sonoma, California. She is an anthropologist with a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Davis; a master's degree from California State University, Los Angeles; and a doctorate from the University of Missouri. Stephanie has worked over twenty years in postsecondary and secondary science education. She resides in the Midwest with her husband, her two daughters, and her two dogs, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and an Irish setter. In her free time, she enjoys baking, gardening, playing volleyball, and camping at National Parks.