Ms. Coons earned her undergraduate degrees from the University of Oregon in 1998 and 1999 in biology, chemisty, French, Spanish, German, and Psychology.  In 2002, she received her law degree from the University of Oregon.  She spent a year working as a cell biology research assistant, and then left that employment to prepare for the Oregon bar examination.  She spent the first four years of her career practicing with her father, Allan H. Coons, a well-regarded Oregon workers' compensation attorney, and also working for Martin J. McKeown.  Upon Mr. Coons' retirement in 2008, Ms. Coons continued their practice on her own, continuing to represent workers' compensation and social security disability claimants throughout western Oregon. 

In her off-work hours, Ms. Coons enjoys spending time with her two daughters and husband, reading, sewing, watching movies, taking long walks (she completed the Portland Marathon in 2010, and has participated in and completed numerous half marathons since 2007), rollerblading, dancing, looking for things to photograph, and listening to music.