Petersen grew up in Roosevelt, Utah. She became Miss Uintah Basin when she was 18. She was happily married and graduated from Brigham Young University 2000.
From the description of Beauty pains : tips, tricks, and slips of pageant hopefuls, 2000. (Brigham Young University). WorldCat record id: 73244917
Petersen was a student in Jacqueline Thursby's English 356 course at Brigham Young University in 2001.
From the description of Queen talk : stereotypes reinforced and debunked, 2001. (Brigham Young University). WorldCat record id: 51603013