Jamie Taylor Ballesta was born in Santa Cruz and raised by a single mother in the small town of Hollister, CA. After seeing a local production of The Wizard Of Oz at the age of 7, there was no question that acting would be a guiding force throughout her life. In her childhood, Jamie studied tap, jazz, and ballet as well as actively participating in musicals with the local theater company. She also studied classical piano for six years in addition to vocal training. She continued on to study theater at San Francisco State University, having earned a B.A. in theater with a minor in dance. Since graduating, she has had a series of small roles in such television shows as Chance, Murder in the First, and the pilot episode of 13 Reasons Why.