Liz grew up in Waseca, Minnesota. After she graduated from Waseca High School, she attended the University of Minnesota, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Global Studies. While she was in college, Liz spent a summer in Kingston, Jamaica, as an intern for Jamaica AIDS Support. She also spent a semester in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, as a volunteer for Education for All: Project ABC.

After graduating from the University of Minnesota, Liz worked as a Legislative Clerk at the Minnesota Senate Information Office. She then returned to the Dominican Republic and taught English while continuing to volunteer for Education for All: Project ABC. When she returned to Minnesota, she worked as a Sales Intern for NextNet Wireless while preparing to attend law school.