Rebecca was raised in North Carolina. She worked in Uganda as a country director for HELP International where she managed the establishment of a remote, mountaintop health clinic. Her time in Uganda inspired Rebecca to pursue a career in healthcare for vulnerable populations. After returning, she worked with the homeless population at the Healthcare for the Homeless clinic in Durham, North Carolina and Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care in Washington, DC. Rebecca also co-founded 1000 Shillings, an organization that provides microgrants to impoverished women to start their own businesses. Before working in international and community health, she worked for nonprofits and large philanthropic foundations. Rebecca graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she majored in journalism.