Growing up in Evanston, Illinois, Annie attended a public magnet school through elementary and junior high that focused heavily on the arts, allowing her to perform stage leads at a young age. She trained in improv with the Piven Theatre Workshop and danced with the Gus Giordano Studio. In high school, she choreographed for their dance company and directed a production of 'A Chorus Line' in preparation for a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting at Millikin University. While in college, Annie studied Meisner, Stanislavski, Shakespeare, and musical theatre, taking leads most notably in Sam Shepard's 'Fool for Love', 'Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah', 'Steambath', and 'Scenes From a New World'. Midway through her theatrical studies, she deferred from performing to concentrate on other interests of social work, political action, writing, design and wilderness expeditions. She enrolled at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington to tailor an academic program that incorporated these elements. Having lived intermittently between South America and Europe, as well as in many regions across the U.S. and Canada, she has since continued traveling globally with film and stage roles, African and Latin dance work, and casting, teaching and coach positions. She is now based in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.