Vicky D. Burgess grew up on her family's cattle ranch in Salina, Utah. She attended Utah State University, receiving a bachelor's degree in political science and history in 1967 and a master of science degree in psychology in 1968. In 1975 Dr. Burgess was awarded a PhD from Northwestern University in counseling psychology. She has taught at various institutions, including Lasell Junior College in Massachusetts, the University of Maryland's European Division in Berlin, Germany, Brigham Young University, University of Utah, Weber State University, the College of Eastern Utah, Columbia College in Salt Lake City, and Salt Lake Community College. Dr. Burgess also served in the United States Army Reserve and achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel, providing psychological assistance for soldiers including those who served in Operation Desert Storm. A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dr. Burgess examined the psychological aspects of early Latter-day Saint families for her dissertation, "Family Structure and Dynamics in Early Utah Mormon Families, 1847-1885." In the course of researching diaries and journals for this project, Dr. Burgess became interested in the biographical subjects who would be the focus of her book, Sister Saints.