Mary Anne Kochenderfer completed her Ph.D. at the University of Edinburgh. She studied Community Health Sciences in the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine under the supervision of Sarah Cunningham-Burley, Kathryn Backett-Milburn, and Nigel Osborne (Music). She received a B.A. in music and an M.A. in Education from Stanford University in June 2002. Her current research interest is in music as therapy for post-war trauma and chronic illness. She is married to Mykel Kochenderfer and has three children.