Born in Madison, Wisconsin, she graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1980 and Smith College in 1985. She worked in the Pittsburgh theatre scene when she was younger, performing with such companies as Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera. She began her Broadway career as an assistant to her brother Rob, the Choreographer of Kiss of the Spider Woman, in 1993. The two also collaborated on She Loves Me (1993), Damn Yankees (1994), Victor/Victoria (1995) and Seussical (2000). She was the artistic Director for the Encores! series of staged musical revivals from 1996 through 2000. During that time, she choreographed The Boys from Syracuse, Li'l Abner and Call Me Madam and both directed and choreographed Babes in Arms and Wonderful Town.