Ana Lucía Benítez-Stewart was born in Chicago and grew up in Ecuador. She is bilingual. She taught evolutionary biology to US college students and professors in the Galapagos and the Amazon. She taught Spanish to professionals in the wine industry in Mendocino before teaching Spanish at St Johns, and Healdsburg Montessori Preschool. She also taught Spanish to employees of an international company based in Healdsburg. She lives in Healdsburg and has a farm and winery (Lichen Estate) in Anderson Valley. She loves painting, drawing, making jewelry, tall shoes, dancing salsa, and talks like Sophia Vergara.