Stephanie was born in Orlando, Florida, grew up in Wichita, Kansas and currently resides in New York City. While in high school she found an interest in painting. After spending a couple of years teaching herself to paint, she went on to graduate from the University of Kansas with a Bachelors of Fine Arts, Painting, in 2000.
While exploring the combination of color, line, and texture at the university, Stephanie found an interest in using women's dress as her imagery. The next natural step was then to continue her studies, so, Stephanie moved to New York City in 2001, and studied fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Several months after completing her studies, she was making a routine visit to the roof of her building to read; however, she slipped and suffered a life threatening 5-story fall off the fire escape of her building. After spending several weeks in the hospital, Stephanie then returned to her family's home in Kansas for her recovery.
During her more than 15 months of recovery, Stephanie came up with the idea of painting and drawing wedding gowns. She has been recognized internationally for her beautiful and detailed creations, and her work has been represented by some of the bridal industries top names.
In 2011 Stephanie began painting faux finishes, murals and theater sets. She also continued to exhibit her studio work in galleries - having been influenced by the frailty of life, the value of beauty, and a love for India, Stephanie created a show about human trafficking, “Emerging from the Deep”. Stephanie is passionate about life and an advocate for justice.
Shorty after the fall, Stephanie also began sharing her story publicly. Today, she continues to do speaking engagements on colleges campus, in churches and for special events - inspiring and encouraging others with stories of hope, perseverance and life.