Kathleen Benanti was born and reared on the New Jersey Shore . She spent much of her youth swimming at the beach and playing sports including basketball, softball and field hockey. She then moved to Sarasota , Florida and attended the University of South Florida in Tampa where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology, graduating with departmental honors. She also achieved a double minor in anthropology and women's studies.

In 1997, Kathleen moved to Texas and currently resides in the Lakewood area of Dallas with her Pitbull, Boston Terrier, Tabby cat and African parrot. An avid runner, she has completed both the Dallas White Rock marathon and the Oklahoma City Memorial marathon. She has also completed several half- marathons as well as many other races of varying distances.

Kathleen graduated with honors from the Texas Massage Institute. She then followed her passion and achieved her certification in Orthopedic Massage. Kathleen is continually furthering her education in order to better understand and address the unique needs of her clients. She is a member of the American Massage Therapy Association, The Dallas Chamber of Commerce and Business Network International.

In her free time, Kathleen volunteers for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of North Texas. She has mentored several times for their Team in Training program, aiding other volunteers with their fundraising efforts as well as assisting them with the various aspects of training and completing marathons and half marathons. She performs complementary post-event massage for the Team in Training athletes after their long runs and races. Kathleen's many hobbies include kayaking, politics, reading, gardening, video games and anything that makes her laugh.