Kelley A. Raab was born in Utah and grew up in Pennsylvania and New York. She attended Colgate University, where she completed her BA in biology. She earned three graduate degrees: an MDiv from Chicago Theological Seminary, an MA from the University of Chicago Divinity School, and a PhD in religious studies from the University of Ottawa. She taught religious studies for over twelve years and worked as a mental health chaplain for over fourteen years. Post-retirement, she has a private practice in psychotherapy. She currently lives in Ottawa, Ontario.