Dr. Peterson is a native of the Seattle area and completed her Bachelor of Science degree in cell and molecular biology at the University of Washington. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999, graduating summa cum laude. She completed a small animal internship at North Carolina State University and an Internal Medicine residency at Texas A & M University.

She became board certified in Internal Medicine in 2003. She has published articles and book chapters on topics including chronic intestinal disease, infectious disease, and endocrine disease. Since her residency, Dr. Peterson has worked at the VCA Veterinary Specialty Center of Lynnwood. She also participated in a faculty locum position in Urology at Purdue University in 2008 where she refined skills with cystoscopy including cystoscopic removal of small bladder stones and voiding urohydropropulsion, a non-invasive treatment option for dogs with recurrent bladder stones.